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Captivating 

Bible Stories 

FOR YOUNG PEOPLE 

WRITTEN IN SIMPLE LANGUAGE 

BEGINNING AT THE CREATION OF THE WORLD IT TAKES THE 

READER THROUGH THE BIBLE IN FIFTY-TWO LESSONS, 

EACH LESSON COMPRISING THREE READINGS FOR 

EACH SABBATH OF THE YEAR, WHILE A SERIES 

OF QUESTIONS WITH EACH READING HELP 

TO IMPRESS UPON THE YOUNG MIND 

THE TRUTHS OF THE HOLY BIBLE. 

DESIGNED TO 

PROMOTE GREATER INTEREST in the SACRED SCRIPTURES 

AND A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THEIR TEACHINGS 

INCLUDING 

ALL THE IMPORTANT HISTORICAL EVENTS DE- 
SCRIBED IN THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS 

By CHARLOTTE M . YONGE 
The Noted Author and Missionaries' Friend 



EMBELLISHED WITH MORE THAN 200 SUPERB ENGRAVINGS 

BY JULIUS SCHNORR VON KAROLSFELD OF SCENES 

DESCRIBED IN THE BIBLE 



NATIONAL PUBLISHING CO, 
No, 241 American Street 

PHILADELPHIA, PA. 




21 



ENTERED ACCORDING TO ACT OF CONGRESS IN THE YEAR 1813, BY 

GEO. W. BERTRON 

THE OFFICE OF THE LIBRARIAN OF CONGRESS, AT WASHINGTON, D. C, U. 8. A. 



The Illustrations In this work being from original drawings 
and protected by copyright, their reproduction In any form is 
unlawful, and notice is hereby given that persons guilty of infring- 
ing the copyright thereof will be prosecuted. 



M 




'CI.A332794 




HE great number of Bible story books that have been 
published show how many attempts have been made 
to supply the want which has long been felt of a work 
containing a carefully written story of the Scripture 
narrative for young people. 

In this great work which is written in simple 
language, the captivating story of the Bible is told in a style 
that will cause it to be read over and over again, and the thrilling 
truths and beautiful lessons it contains will never be forgotten. 

It takes the reader through the Bible in fifty-two lessons, 
each lesson comprising three readings for each Sabbath of 
the year, while a series of questions following each reading, help 
to impress upon the young mind the truths of the Holy Scripture. 
The work begins with the marvellous Story of the Creation, 
describing the beauties of the Garden of Eden, and the awful 
disaster of the flood; it relates the thrilling scenes in the life of 
Abraham and the other Patriarchs, and furnishes a great 
panorama of the w T onderf ul events in the dawn of history. 

This is followed by the delightful story of Joseph, who was 
sold by his envious brethren and hurried away to Egypt, where 
he was adopted into the king's family, and finally made ruler 
over that country. The lessons of his life should be read by every 
boy and girl in the land. He was one of the noblest characters 
spoken of in the Bible. 

Next, we have a glimpse of Moses in his little life-boat, found 
and cared for by a Royal Princess. We see him growing to the 
fullness of manhood, becoming leader of his people, and finally 
breaking their chains and bringing them out of captivity. He 



in 



IV 



PREFACE. 

stands at the burning bush; he opens a fountain in a rock; he 
goes up among the clouds of Sinai and receives the tables of the 
law. This part of the Bible story is full of instruction. 

Then grand old Joshua comes forth 
upon the scene, and the reader follows him 
through his stormy conflicts and brilliant 
triumphs. Here, too, is .a graphic descrip- 
tion of the magnificent achievements of 
Gideon, telling what wonders he wrought 
and what valor he displayed. Who has 
not been fascinated by the delightful story 
of Ruth? This humble but charming 
woman was an ancestor of our Lord Jesus 
and all are interested in the story of her 
life. 

Every young person follows eagerly 
the thrilling account of King Saul and 
King David. We see the strong, misguided 
yet mighty Saul, and also the ruddy shep- 
herd boy whose swift sling slew a giant. 
Then comes Solomon in all his glory, and 
along in this part of the Old Testament 
Story we see that grand man of the desert, 
Elijah, and follow him through his 
startling experiences until, in a chariot 
of fire, he is borne away through the clouds 
to heaven. We also read of that young 
patriot Nehemiah, who left the splendors 
of a palace to rebuild the shattered walls of 
Jerusalem. He accomplished wonders, 
teaching the great lessons of devotion and energy. 

The Bible is a rich store-house of instruction and entertain- 




^ W 



PREFACE. v 

ment. How captivating is the story of Queen Esther. She 

presents a striking example of those great crises in which the 

scale has been turned by the power and influence of woman. 

Other narratives come in thick succession. 

The young are always interested in the 

story of Daniel. Why should they not be? 

His strong and beautiful character has a 

peculiar charm, and there are few names 

in history that shine so resplendently. 

Let his brilliant record be studied by all, 

whether old or young. 

How eagerly young people read the 
charming story of Bethlehem — the story 
of the angelic choir; of the wondering 
shepherds who heard the heavenly anthem 
of Peace and Good-Will; of the Holy Child 
laid in the humble manger; of the burning 
star that lighted the wise men of the East 
to the feet of the infant Prophet, Priest 
and King; and the thrilling incidents con- 
nected with His life. It would not be 
possible for human pen to depict more 
vividly those majestic events, at once awful 
and fascinating, which form the closing- 
chapter of our Lord's life upon earth. 

We venture, in conclusion, to hope 
this volume will be the means, with God's 
blessing, of endearing to many young hearts "the sweet story 
of old," making them to love from childhood that book which in 
after years will truly be a lamp unto their feet and a light unto 
their path. 





PAGE 

Adam and Eve Driven out of the Garden of Eden . . 23 

After the Banishment from Eden ...... 24 

Sacrifice of Cain and Abel, ' . . .25 

Return of the Dove with the Olive Branch . . . 27 

Noah and His Family Leaving the Ark 30 

Noah's Sacrifice After the Flood . . . . 30 

Abram Sees the Promised Land 32 

Melchizedek Blessing Abram . . . . . . .33 

Abraham Entertains Three Angels . . . . . 35 

Lot and His Family Fleeing from Sodom . . . . .37 

Abraham Offering Isaac as a Sacrifice . . . . 39 

Abraham's Servant Meeting Rebekah at the Well . . .40 
Rebekah Sees Isaac Coming to Meet Her . . . . 40 

Isaac Blessing Jacob 44 

Jacob's Vision of Angels 46 

Jacob Meeting Rachel 48 

Laban Hiring Jacob . . 48 

Jacob's Departure for Canaan ....... 49 

Jacob and the Angel 50 

The Meeting of Jacob and Esau 50 

Joseph Sold by His Brethren 52 

Pouring Out a Drink Offering . 56 

Joseph Interpreting Pharaoh's Dream 58 

Joseph Proclaimed Ruler Over Egypt 60 

Joseph Makes Himself Known to His Brethren . . . .61 
Joseph Meeting His Father . . . . . . 62 

Leather Bottles 63 

Pharaoh's Daughter Finding Moses . . . . . . 65 

The Israelites Made to Work Hard in Egypt . . . .67 

Aaron's Rod Changed to a Serpent Q8 

The Plague of Locusts . . 71 

The Feast of the Passover 74 

Death of the First-born of Egypt 76 

Egyptian Judgment Scene 77 

Pharaoh's Host Destroyed in the Red Sea 79 

vi 



ILLUSTRATIONS. vii 

PAGE 

Aaron and Hur Holding Up the Hands of Moses . . . 82 

Korah and His Associates Swallowed Up 83 

Aaron's Rod that Budded 85 

The Holy Place 86 

Moses Bringing Water From the Rock 88 

The Brazen Serpent . . . . . . . . .89 

Priest — High-Priest — Levite ....... 91 

Balaam Met by the Angel of the Lord ..... 94 

High-priest With Sin Offering 98 

The Ten Commandments 100 

Moses Receiving the Tables of the Law . . . . 101 

Moses Destroys the Tables of the Law 103 

Ancient Musical Instruments 105 

Moses Bringing the New Tables of the Law . . . . 107 

The Spies Returning From Canaan 109 

Table of Shew Bread — Ark — Golden Candlestick . . . 110 
Moses Giving His Charge to Joshua . . . . . .112 

Moses Viewing the Promised Land 113 

The Death of Moses 113 

Carrying the Ark Over Jordan 117 

The Walls of Jericho 118 

The Angel Appearing to Joshua 119 

Falling of the Walls of Jericho 120 

Joshua Capturing the City of Ai . . . . . . .121 

Joshua Commanding the Sun to Stand Still . . . . 121 

Dividing the Land Among the Tribes 122 

South-east View of the Tabernacle . . . . . . 123 

Sisera Slain by Jael 125 

Gideoh's Offering Burnt by Fire From the Rock . . . 127 

Gideon's Victory Over the Midianites 128 

Jephthah Meeting His Daughter . . . . . . 129 

Samson Slaying a Lion . .129 

Young Samuel Brought to Eli 130 

Hannah's Prayer 131 

God Tells Samuel of Destruction of Eli's House . . . 134 

The Death of Eli . ' 136 

Samuel Anointing Saul , . . 138 

Ancient Shoes 140 

Ruth and Naomi .......... 141 

Ruth Gleaning in the Field of Boaz 142 



viii ILLUSTRATIONS. 

PAGE 

Saul Teaeing the Robe of Samuel . . . . . . 144 

David Anointed by Samuel 145 

David Slaying Goliath . . 148 

Saul Casting His Javelin at David 149 

The Pabting of David and Jonathan 150 

David and Abigail . . . . . . .. . . .150 

The Death of Saul ......... 153 

David Anointed King Oveb Isbael 153 

David Moubns the Death of His Child 155 

Shimei Casting Stones at David 156 

The Death of Absalom 158 

David's Thbee Mighty Men . . 160 

Solomon Anointed King . . 163 

Solomon in All His Globy . . . . . . . . 164 

The Judgment of Solomon .166 

The Building of Solomon's Temple 167 

The Queen of Sheba Visiting Solomon . . . . . .170 

Idolatry of Solomon . . . 171 

Revolt of the Tbibes 172 

Elijah Fed by the Ravens . . . . . . . 177 

The Widow's Son Restobed to Life 178 

Elijah Slaying the Pbophets of Baal . . . . . 181 

The Death of King Ahab . . . . . . . 186 

Elijah Taken Up Into Heaven 187 

The Shunamite's Son Restobed . . . . . . .189 

Jezebel Eaten by Dogs . 197 

A City Captubed and the Inhabitants Led Away Captive . 200 

Rabshakeh Befobe Sennachebib 202 

The Angel Slaying the Assybians . . . . . . 204 

The Book of the Law Found - . 206 

An Assybian King . . . . '.'".. . . . 207 

Jebusalem Besieged and People Taken Captive . . . 209 

ashtobeth 210 

The Lobd Commands Jebemiah . 212 

Two Pages of an Ancient Scboll of Scbiptubes . . . .214 

Jebemiah Moubning Oveb Jerusalem 224 

The Bbeastplate . '.'"'. . 227 

Ezekiel's Vision . 229 

Daniel Inteepbeting the Wbiting on the Wall . . . .238 



ILLUSTRATIONS. 

Return of the Jews from Captivity . 

Building of the New Temple 

The Jewish Captives Conducted Before Darius 
Daniel in the Lion's Den ..... 
Babylonian Brick ....... 

Queen Esther Crowned 

Triumph of Mordhcai 

Nehemiah Armeth the Laborers 

A Solemn Fast and Repentance of the People . 

The Angel Appears Unto Zacharias . 

The Angel Appears Unto Mary .... 

The Prophecy of Elizabeth and of Mary 

The Birth of John 

The Angel Announcing the Birth of Jesus 

The Birth of Jesus 

The Birth of Jesus Proclaimed by the Shepherds 
The Visit of the Wise Men ..... 

Joseph Commanded to Flee into Egypt 

The Flight into Egypt ....... 

Killing the Male Children Under Two Years Old 
Jesus Teaching in the Temple .... 

John the Baptist Preaching in the Wilderness 
The Baptism of Jesus ..... 

The Temptation of Jesus 

Behold the Lamb of God 

Jesus Calling His Disciples 

The Miracle in Cana .... 

Jesus Teaches Nicodemus 
Jesus and the Woman of Samaria . 
Jesus Heals the Sick of the Palsy . 
Jesus Raises the Daughter of Jairus 
Jesus Gives Sight to the Two Blind Men 
Sermon on the Mount .... 

Jesus Raises the Widow's Son . 
Jesus Sleeps During the Storm . 
Sending Forth the Twelve Apostles 
Death of John the Baptist . 
Jesus Feeding the Five Thousand . 
Jesus Supports the Sinking Peter 
The Well or Fountain at Nazareth 



ix 

PAGE 

241 

243 

245 

246 

247 

250 

251 

252 

254 

256 

256 

257 

258 

259 

260 

261 

264 

265 

266 

267 

268 

271 

272 

273 

276 

277 

278 

279 

280 

280 

283 

283 

284 

285 

285 

286 

287 

288 

289 

290 



x ILLUSTRATIONS. 

PAGE 

The Transfiguration . . '.' . . . . . 292 

The Good Samaritan 293 

Jesus and the Sisters of Bethany . . . . . . 293 

The Return of the Prodigal . .294 

The Rich Man and Lazarus the Beggar . . , . . 295 
The Pharisee and the Publican . . . . . . .297 

The Raising of Lazarus 297 

Mary Anoints the Head of Jesus . . . .' . . .299 

Christ Entering Jerusalem . . . ... . . 300 

Jesus Drives Out the Money-changers . . . . . . 302 

Jesus Washing His Disciples' Feet . . . . . . 304 

The Last Supper . . . . . . . . . . 305 

Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane . . . . . . 306 

Judas Betrays Jesus . . . .'■'•. . . . . . 309 

Christ Before Caiaphas . . . .. . . . 310 

Peter Denying Jesus . . . . . . . . .311 

Jesus Crowned with Thorns 313 

Christ Before Pilate 314 

The End of Judas Iscariot 315 

Jesus Falls Under the Cross . . .. . . . .317 

The Crucifixion . . . . 318 

The Burial of Jesus . . . . . . . . 320 

As it Began to Dawn 321 

The Resurrection . . 322 

The Women at the Tomb of Jesus 322 

Mary Magdalene at the Sepulchre 323 

Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene . . . . . 324 

Jesus Appears to Two of His Disciples 326 

Then Said Jesus Unto Them, Be Not Afraid . . . . 327 
Jesus Appears to His Disciples at the Sea of Tiberias . . 329 

The Ascension . . . 331 

Tongues of Fire Resting on the Disciples . . . . .334 

The Child Christ, Mary His Mother and Joseph . . . 345 
The Sermon on the Mount . . ... . . . 361 

Finding the Lost Sheep . . . . . . . . 376 

Return of the Prodigal Son . . . . . . . . 278 

Christ Blessing Little Children 381 

The Wise and Foolish Virgins . . . . . . .388 

The Crucifixion . . . 396 

The Miraculous Draught of Fishes . . . . .399 






FIRST SUNDAY. 



Creation of the World. 



17 



SECOND SUNDAY. 
How Sin Began and the Flood Came 



22 



THIRD SUNDAY. 



The Rainbow 



29 



FOURTH SUNDAY. 



Abraham and Lot 



36 



FIFTH SUNDAY. 
Jacob's Journey and Dream 43 

SIXTH SUNDAY. 
Joseph in Egypt 51 

SEVENTH SUNDAY. 
Joseph's Brothers 57 



EIGHTH SUNDAY. 



The Call of Moses 



64 



NINTH SUNDAY. 



The Plagues of Egypt 



70 



TENTH SUNDAY. 



The Passover, 



75 



ELEVENTH SUNDAY. 
The Gainsaying of Korah 



81 



TWELFTH SUNDAY. 
Israel in the Wilderness „ 87 



XI 



xii CONTENTS. 

THIRTEENTH SUNDAY. 
Balaam and Balak 93 

FOURTEENTH SUNDAY. 
The Giving of the Law 99 

FIFTEENTH SUNDAY. 
The Giving or the Law 106 

SIXTEENTH SUNDAY. 
The Death of Moses Ill 

SEVENTEENTH SUNDAY. 
Israel in Battle 116 

EIGHTEENTH SUNDAY. 
The Judges of Israel 124 

NINETEENTH SUNDAY. 
Samuel 130 

TWENTIETH SUNDAY. 
King Saul 137 

TWENTY-FIRST SUNDAY. 
The Reign of Saul 143 

TWENTY-SECOND SUNDAY. 
King David Reigning 152 

TWENTY-THIRD SUNDAY. 
Preparing for the Temple 159 

TWENTY-FOURTH SUNDAY. 
Solomon in all His Glory 164 

TWENTY-FIFTH SUNDAY. 
Solomon's Fall 169 

TWENTY-SIXTH SUNDAY. 
The Kingdom of Israel .'./. .... . , v,~ IT4 



CONTENTS. xiii 

TWENTY-SEVENTH SUNDAY. 
Elijah and Ah ab 180 

TWENTY-EIGHTH SUNDAY. 
Elijah and Elisha 185 

TWENTY-NINTH SUNDAY. 
Elisha's Miracles 191 

THIRTIETH SUNDAY. 
The Ruin of Ahab's House 196 

THIRTY-FIRST SUNDAY. 
Hezekiah and Josiah 201 

THIRTY-SECOND SUNDAY. 
Jehoiakim's Cruelty 208 

THIRTY-THIRD SUNDAY. 
Jeremiah's Prophecies 211 

THIRTY-FOURTH SUNDAY. 
The Taking of Jerusalem 217 

THIRTY-FIFTH SUNDAY. 
The Fall of Jerusalem 222 

THIRTY-SIXTH SUNDAY. 
The Jews at Babylon 228 

THIRTY-SEVENTH SUNDAY. 
Daniel at Babylon 233 

THIRTY-EIGHTH SUNDAY. 
The Return From Babylon 240 

THIRTY-NINTH SUNDAY. 
Troubles of the Jews 248 

FORTIETH SUNDAY. 
The Coming of the Lord 255 



xiv CONTENTS. 

FORTY-FIRST SUNDAY. 
The Childhood of Our Lord : . 263 

FORTY-SECOND SUNDAY. 
The Preparation for the Ministry 270 

FORTY-THIRD SUNDAY. 
The Calling of the Disciples : 275 

FORTY-FOURTH SUNDAY. 
The Ministry 282 

FORTY-FIFTH SUNDAY. 
Wonders of Our Lord's Working 291 

FORTY-SIXTH SUNDAY. 
Going up to Jerusalem 298 

FORTY-SEVENTH SUNDAY. 
The Evening of the Betrayal 303 

FORTY-EIGHTH SUNDAY. 
The Trial and Condemnation 308 

FORTY-NINTH SUNDAY. 
The Crucifixion 316 

FIFTIETH SUNDAY. 
The Resurrection 321 

FIFTY-FIRST SUNDAY. 
The Ascension 327 

FIFTY-SECOND SUNDAY. 
The Waiting Time 333 

THE NEW TESTAMENT STORY IN VERSE 337 




FIRST READING. 

"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." — Gen. 1: 1. 

§^ N the Bible we are told God made the 
earth we live on. Sunday is the earth's 
birthday, for on the first day of the 
week the Creation began. 

The world was one mass — dark, 
empty, and shapeless — till God made 
the light by His Word, and saw the 
light was good. Without light we could 
not live : even the very trees and flowers 
would die. When we have been in the 
dark how glad we are to see light come 
back, even if it be only one grey line 
beginning in the sky ! This shows how 
blessed is this gift. It was good, too, 

that we should have quiet dark night for rest and stillness. 

The second great change enclosed the earth in an outer ball 

of air, which we call the sky or firmament. That is the deep blue 

2-B.S. 17 




18 CREATION OF THE WORLD. 

into which we look up and up. The mist and fog rise up from the 
earth and make the clouds that take strange shapes, sometimes 
dark and full of rain to water the earth, sometimes shining white, 
or pink and golden with morning or evening light. 

The third great change was, that water filled the deep hollows 
of the earth, while the hills rose up dry above them, with rivers 
and streams running down their slopes into the deep seas below. 
God did not leave the land bare and stony: He clothed it with 
green fresh plants and herbs, with leaves and flowers, and trees to 
give us their fruit and wood, and filled even the sea with plants 
that can live under water. 

THE EARTH GLADDENED BY THE SUN. 

Next, God caused the rays of the sun to gladden the earth, 
and let it see the moon lighted up by the sun, as well as the stars 
far beyond our firmament. We count the months by the changes 
in the moon ; and our earth's journey around the sun marks our 
years and seasons. We all rejoice in a bright sunny day, though 
the sun is too bright and glorious for us to bear to gaze at him; 
and how lovely the moon looks, either as a young crescent, or a 
beautiful full moon ! 

The waters began to be full of live things, that swam, or crept, 
or flew: fishes, and birds, and insects. By that time this world 
was nearly as we see it, and a beautiful home for us to live in. 
Then God made the four-footed beasts — sheep and cows, horses, 
dogs, cats, elephants, lions — all that we use or admire ; and, last 
of all, when He had made this earth a happy, healthy place, He 
planted the Garden of Eden, and put in it the first man and 
woman, the best of all that He had made ; for though their bodies 
were of dust, like those of the beasts, yet their souls came from the 
Breath of God. They could think, speak, pray, and heed what is 
unseen as well as what is seen. 



CREATION OF THE WORLD. 19 

There are many many lessons to be learnt from this wonder- 
ful story. Let us try to take home one of them. Let us ask our 
Father that the ground below, the light above, the sky and sea, the 
sun and moon, the trees and flowers, the birds and beasts, and His 
holy day of rest, may remind us that they came from Him, and 
that we may be very thankful to Him for having given us such 

good things. 

QUESTIONS. 

1. Who made the world ? 2. Which Commandment tells you about God's 
making the world? 3. What is there in the sky that God made? 4. What is 
there on the earth ? 5. What do you see around you that He made ? 6. Can 
we make birds, or beasts, or flowers ? 7. Or could we make them live ? 8. WTio 
makes them and us live? 9. Where does all our food come from? 10. Who 
gave us corn? 11. What must we ask God to do for us? 12. What must we 
thank Him for? 13. Do not you think it would be pleasant to whisper to your- 
self, when you see a pretty flower, or a beautiful sky, or when the sun shines 
bright and warm, " Thank God for being so good to me " ? 

SECOND READING. 

" And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed 
into his nostrils the breath of life ; and man became a living soul." — Genesis 2 : 7. 

N the Bible God tells us that He made the world, and 

everything in it : land and water, and grass, flowers and 

trees, insects, birds and beasts, and last of all He made 

the first man and woman. The man was made by God 

out of the dust of the ground, and then God breathed 

into his nostrils the breath of life, and gave him a living 

soul. And the woman was made by God out of the man's side. 

They were called Adam and Eve, and they were to be the first 

father and mother of everyone who was to be born into the world. 

The good God gave them a beautiful home. It was a garden, 
with a clear river of water flowing through it, and all kinds of 
delicious fruit-trees and beautiful flowers growing in it. Nothing 
could hurt or vex them there. They did not know what pain was, 




20 CREATION OF THE WORLD. 

they were never tired, and all they had to do was to dress the 
garden and to keep it. They had no faults, and never did wrong; 
and God Himself came near to talk with them. 

That was the way they lived, always good and always happy, 
whilst they obeyed what God had told them. In the midst of the 
garden grew two trees : one was the Tree of Life, and the other 
was the Tree of the Knowledge of good and evil. God told them 
that if they ate the fruit of this Tree of Knowledge they would die. 
We do not know what those trees were like, but sometime or other 
I hope we shall see the Tree of Life, for it is growing in heaven, 
close by the river that flows by the Throne of God; and when we 
see it, and taste of its fruit, we shall live for ever, and be happier 
than Adam and Eve were. We shall never be as happy as they 
were while we are living in this world ; but if we will try to obey 
God, and live holy lives, He will take us to heaven, and that will be 
still better than the Garden of Eden. 

QUESTIONS. 

1. What did God make? 2. Whom did he make? 3. What was the man 
made of? 4. What was the woman made of? 5. W T hat did God breathe into 
them? 6. What did He give them? 7. Why were they better than the beasts? 
8. What was the man's name? 9. What was the woman's name? 10. Of 
whom were they the father and mother ? 11. WTiere did they live? 12. What 
had they to do there? 13. What grew there? 14. What were the two chief 
trees that grew there? 15. Which were they not to touch? 16. What is the 
Tree of Life now ? 17. When do we hope to see it ? 18. What is a still happier 
place than the Garden of Eden ? 





CREATION OF THE WORLD. 21 

THIRD READING. 

" Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further ; and here shall thy proud waves 
be stayed."— Job 38 : 11. 

HAT glorious and wonderful things God has made ! 
Did you ever see the sea? There it is — a great vast 
space, all water, looking green near us, but blue 
further off — always heaving up and down. The 
waves rise, and then ripple along, and burst with a 
white edge of bubbles of foam. 
A great space that had been left dry gets covered up with 
water again, and where you were walking just now is quite deep 
water. What is this called? The tide. Well, what will the 
tide do in proper time? Will it come rolling in over the beach, 
and cover up the land? No ; presently each will turn. Each wave 
will be a little less high than the last, till it will have gone back 
again and left the beach uncovered as before. Why does the tide 
do this? It is because God so wonderfully contrived this earth 
and sea, that the waters should rise and go back. He made the 
sand the bound of the sea, and said, "Hitherto shalt thou come, 
but no further: and here shall thy proud waves be stayed." So, 
you know, we sing in the Psalm every Sunday — 

" The sea is His, and He made it : 
His hands prepared the dry land." 

QUESTIONS. 

1. What curious thing does the sea do every day? 2. What do you call the 
coming in and going back of the sea? 3. Why does the tide always stop in its 
proper place ? 4. What did God make the bound of the sea ? 5. What did he 
say to it? 6. What verse praises God for making the sea? 



Seconb Sunba\\ 



HOW SIN BEGAN AND THE FLOOD GAME. 

FIRST READING. 

"The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat." — Gen, 3 .- 13. 

AST Sunday you heard how God made the 
world, and put a man and woman to live 
in it. The man was named Adam; the 
woman was named Eve. God gave them a 
beautiful garden to live in, full of trees and 
flowers ; and they had no pain, no trouble, 
nothing to vex them. Only one thing God 
told them : there was one tree whose fruit 
they must not eat. They might eat the 
fruit of all the other trees, but not of that 
one. As long as they obeyed, all was well 
and happy with them; but if they ate it 
they would die. But a bad spirit came and took the shape of the 
serpent, and talked to Eve. He told her a wicked lie— he told her 
that to eat the fruit would make her wise, and would not make her 
die. And Eve listened, and did eat. And she gave Adam, and he 
also ate ; and so they took the bad spirit for their master instead of 
the good God. Then God was angry with them, and put them out 
of the garden, and let them be weak and sickly, and die at last. 

It was a sad thing for us. For if they had been good 
and obeyed God, and not the bad spirit, it would have been 
easy for us to be good, and we would not have the devil tempt- 
ing us to do wrong: we would never have known pain or 

sorrow. But God pitied Adam and Eve; and he promised them 
22 




HOW SIN BEGAN AND THE FLOOD CAME. 23 

that the Seed — that is, the Son — of the woman should bruise the 
serpent's head, and set them and their children free. 

Our Blessed Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, set us free 
when He died on the cross and rose again ; and now we belong to 




ADAM AND EVE DRIVEN OUT OP THE GARDEN OF EDEN.— Gen. 3 123, 24. 

Him, and not to the bad spirit. Only we must try and ask Him 
to help us not to do what is wrong, as Eve did, or we shall not keep 
free from the power of the enemy. 

QUESTIONS. 

1. Who was the first man? 2. Who was the first woman? 3. Where did 
God put them ? 4. What was the one thing they might not do ? 5. Wliat was 
to happen if they ate of that fruit? 6. Who came and spoke to Eve? 7. What 
shape did the bad spirit take ? 8. W r hat did he tell Eve ? 9. What did she do ? 
10. Whom did she make her master? 11. What was done to punish her? 12. 
What sad things did the bad spirit bring on her? 13. Who came to set us free 
from the bad spirit ? 



24 



HOW SIN BEGAN AND THE FLOOD CAME. 



SECOND READING. 

" And behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth. " — 

Gen. 6 : 17. 

HE Lesson this morning told the sad history of how 
Adam and Eve did the very thing that God forbade; 
so that He drove them out of the Garden of Eden, and 
sin and death came into the world. 

After that they had children. Some were good, 
but not so good as Adam and Eve had been at first; 
and some were bad. And as time went on the bad ones grew worse, 
and the good ones were tempted, and many of them grew wicked 





AFTER THE BANISHMENT FROM EDEN.— Gen. 3 : 19. 

too. And so all the world was getting wicked, and God saw noth- 
ing but evil when He looked down on it. And He said that He 
would destroy these wicked people, and wash away the evil from 
the earth by a great flood. But there was one good man, whose 
name was Noah; and God said He would save him. 



HOW SIN BEGAN AND THE FLOOD CAME. 25 

He bade Noah build an Ark. It was to be a great ship, all 
made of wood, and it took a great many years to build; and all 
that time people laughed at Noah, for they would not believe that 
anything was going to happen. Noah made the Ark, and stored 
it with food. And God sent him a pair of all sorts of animals that 
were in the world, and he put them into pens in the Ark. Then 
Noah and his wife, and his three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japhet, 
and their wives, went into the Ark, and God shut them in. 




^-arfWn'fL, 



SACRIFICE OF CAIN AND ABEL.— Gen. 4 5 4, 5- 

Then it began to rain. It rained for forty days and forty 
nights without stopping, and the rivers came out of their banks, 
and the sea came upon the land, and the ground was covered up. 
Even the tops of the highest hills were hidden, and everybody and 
every creature was drowned — all but Noah and those that were 
with him. There was the Ark all the time floating quite safe on 
the water. The storm could not upset it nor the sea get into it, 
for God took care of it and all that was in it. 

The reason Noah was saved was because, first, he tried to be 



26 HOW SIN BEGAN AND THE FLOOD CAME. 

good, and not do like the bad people round him ; and next, because 
he believed what God said to him, and went on making the Ark, 
even when he saw no danger. If we wish God to save us, then we 
must take care that we do just what we are told — not what seems 
pleasant now, but what is really right. 

QUESTIONS. 

1. Do you know why Adam and Eve were driven out of the happy garden ? 
2. How did people go on after that? 3. How had sin come into the world ? 4. 
What did God say He must do to the world? 5. Why? 6. Who was to be 
saved? 7. What was Noah to make? 8. What was the Ark like? 9. What 
were put in it? 10. Why were two of all creatures put into the Ark? 11. 
What men and women were in it? 12. What were the names of Noah's sons? 
13. What happened when Noah was in the Ark? 14. How long did it rain? 
15. What was covered up? 16. What became of all the people? 17. Who 
were safe? 18. Where was the Ark? 19. Who took care of the Ark? 20. 
Why was Noah saved ? 

THIRD READING. 

" So Noah knew that the waters were abated from off the earth." — Genesis 7 : 2. 

T must have been a sad sight for Noah and his wife and 
their sons, as the rain went on and on, and the water 
grew deeper and deeper, and everybody and every- 
thing was drowned. Then came a time when nothing 
was to be seen but water. Wherever they looked all 
was sky and water; but it had done raining, the sky 
was blue again, the sun shone by day, the stars by night, and they 
must have been very glad. 

And still the water got lower, till the Ark did not float about, 
but stopped, resting on a peak of a mountain, a very high moun- 
tain, and a few bare tops of other hills began to peep out. By-and- 
by, Noah opened the window of the Ark and let out a raven. He 
never saw the raven again, for a raven eats dead things, and there 




HOW SIN BEGAN AND THE FLOOD CAME. 



27 




RETURN OF THE DOVE WITH THE OLIVE BRANCH.— Gen. 8 :n. 



28 HOW SIN BEGAN AND THE FLOOD CAME. 

were so many dead bodies floating about that it got plenty of food, 
and never came back to the Ark that had saved it. 

He waited a week, and then he let out a dove. Now doves like 
trees to sit and nestle in, and they eat grains and seeds ; so the poor 
dove found no place to rest in, and flew back to the Ark; and Noah 
took her back, and kept her a week, then let her fly again. She 
flew away but still she came back to the Ark, and this time she 
brought in her beak a sprig of olive branch. 

It was the first green thing that Noah had seen for a year ! 
Noah's children have loved the olive leaf everywhere, and called it 
the sign of peace and good news ever since. 

For now Noah knew that the waters had gone down, and that 
trees must be able to put forth leaves again. Once more, after 
another week, he let out the dove, and she did not come back, for 
she had found a tree where she could make her home, and seeds to 
eat; and then Noah knew the sad time of the flood — a whole year — 
was over, and the earth had been washed from all her stains. 

QUESTIONS. 

1. What was the Flood? 2. What was the Ark? 3. Who was in it? 4. 
What had Noah with him in the Ark? 5. What became of everyone else ? 6. 
Why? 7. Why was Noah saved? 8. How long did the Flood last? 9. What 
birds did Noah send out of the Ark ? 10. Which came back ? 11. Why did 
not the raven come back? 12. What did the dove bring? 13. What was Noah 
sure of then ? 14. What had the earth been washed from ? 



^s^> 




Zhivb 5unba\\ 



THE RAINBOW. 

FIRST READING. 

" I do sot my Bow in the Cloud."— Genesis '■) : 13. 




HE sin that came into the world when Eve 
listened to the tempter had grown as 
men multiplied and made each other 
worse. The wicked people had been 
drowned in the Flood, and Noah, his 
sons and their wives, had alone been 
saved in the Ark. After a whole year 
of being shut up there, watching the 
earth, first drowned and then coming 
out of the water, they had just come 
out on the fresh green earth, with all 
the animals saved with them, when God spoke to 
them. 

Then God made a promise to Noah. It was 

that no flood of water shall ever drown all the world 

again, but spring, summer, autumn, and winter, 

day and night, will go on to the end of the world, when it shall be 

burnt up by fire, not drowned by water. 

That Noah, and all of his after him, might feel sure that God 
in His mercy will go on preserving us, and giving us days and 
nights, seed-time and harvest, He gave us something to look at as 
a sign of His promise. He so ordered the rays of light, that when 
they shine upon drops of water in the air they cause beautiful 
colors, making part of a circle, so as to form a bow. So when the 

29 



30 



THE RAINBOW. 




NOAH AND HIS FAMILY LEAVING THE ARK.-Gen. 8: 18, 19. 




NOAH'S SACRIFICE AFTER THE FLOOD.— Gen. 8: 20. 



THE RAINBOW. 31 

sun shines on a cloud, as it rains, the fair bright rinbow is seen, 
as a pledge to us of God's merciful care and love to us. 

There is a rainbow round about the Throne of God in Heaven ; 
and the lovely rainbows that we see when the sun shines out, and 
the showers drift away, are to put us in mind that we are safe 
under His care, in right of His promise to Noah and his three sons, 
of whom the whole earth was peopled. We are the children of 
his son Japhet, and all that was then said to him belongs to us also. 
We should recollect it, and put our trust in Him, and be thank- 
ful when we see the beautiful soft arch that the Hands of the 
Almighty have bended, looking out of the midst of the dark 

watery clouds. 

QUESTIONS. 

1. What beautiful sight do we sometimes see after a shower? 2. What is a 
rainbow like ? 3. Who put the rainbow in the cloud ? 4. Who was the man to 
whom God showed the rainbow? 5. What promise did God make Noah? 6. 
What had God just done to the wicked people? 7. Whom had he saved? 
8. What did he say should always goon? 9. What did God put in the sky 
to show that he will not send another Flood? 10. What are we to think of 
when we see a rainbow? 11. Who takes care of us? 12. Where is there a 
rainbow in Heaven above ? 

SECOND READING. 

C( In thee shall all families of the earth be blessed." — Genesis 1® : 3. 

HEN Noah's grandchildren and great-grandchildren 
came to be more and more, and the world was being 
filled with people again, they still were not all 
good, and the longer time went on the worse they 
grew. 

At last God called to a very good man, whose 
name was Abram, and told him that if he would come away from 
his home to a land God would show him, then God would bless him 
and lead him, and by-and-by give the land to his children, and that 
their children after them should be more in number than the 




32 THE RAINBOW. 

grains of sand on the sea-shore, or than the stars in the sky : and 
that in his seed — that was, in a Son of his — all the nations of the 
earth should be blessed. 

It was strange to hear all this about Abram's children, for 
he was growing old, and he and his wife Sarai had no chil- 
dren at all. But he believed in God. He knew that God is 
Almighty, and can do whatever He will; so he only did just as 
God told him, and went away from his home, where God told him. 




ABRAM SEES THE PROMISED LAND.— Gen. 12 : 3-7. 

He was obliged to take all his cattle with him — quantities of cows, 
and goats, and sheep, and camels ; and he had many servants 
to drive them. 

When they came to a piece of grass and a fresh spring of 
water, there they would stop. They had no houses — only tents, 
which were great curtains woven of goat's hair and fastened up 
with poles, so that they could be set up or taken down, and carried 
about. All his life Abram lived in a tent, instead of staying at 
home in a city, and being at his ease. 



THE RAINBOW. 



33 



By-and-by he came to a beautiful country. There were high 
hills rising up, and green valleys between, full of grass for 
the sheep and cattle; and the wide sea spread out far away 
towards the sunset, all blue and glorious. God told him to look 
at the land, for that was the place which his children should have 
for their own ; but in the meantime Abram had not one bit of it, 
and was a stranger there ; and he had no child either. 




MELCHIZEDEK BLESSING ABRAM.— Gen. 14 : 18, 19, 20. 

But still he was quite sure that God spoke truth; and that 
somehow, though he did not know how, it would come about that 
his children should have the land, and that in One all the nations 
of the earth should be blessed. That was faith. 

QUESTIONS. 
1. What good man do you hear of to-day? 2. What did God tell Abram to 
do? 3. What did God promise? 4. Who were to have the land? 5. Why 
was it strange to hear of his children ? 6. But did he believe it would come true ? 
7. Why did he believe it? 8. How did he show that he believed? 9. Where 
did he go? 10. What had he with him? 11. What did he live in? 12. What 
is a tent like? 13. What sort of place did he come to? 
3-B.S. 




34 THE RAINBOW. 

THIRD READING. 

"Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between thee and me." — Gen. IS : 8, 

WO men were travelling together. They were an uncle 
and nephew. The uncle's name was Abram, the 
nephew's was Lot. They had come from home, because 
God had told Abram to come away from his own home 
to the land that God would give his children. Abram 
believed, and did as God bade him ; and Lot, the son of 
his dead brother, went with him. They did not go alone. Each of 
them had great flocks of cows, and sheep, and camels, and 
goats, and numbers of servants to take care of them. They 
would fix their tents, made of camels' hair, in any place 
where they saw a spring of water and good green grass for their 
cattle ; and there they would stay till all the grass was eaten up, 
and then take up their tents and move to another place. 

PARTING OF ABRAM AND LOT. 

Just now they had got to a bare stony place, where the sun 
shone hotly, and there was not much green ; but Abram had built 
up an altar with the great stones, and prayed there. Abram and 
Lot loved one another, and were at peace ; but when their servants 
drove out their flocks to get food and water there were apt to be 
quarrels. If Abram's men found a green grassy valley, they 
would not let Lot's cattle into it ; and if Lot's came to a well, they 
would not let Abram's flocks drink ; and so on. They were always 
quarrelling and making complaints to their masters. 

At last Abram saw that they would make Lot quarrel with 
him. So he said it would be wiser to part ; Lot should go one way 
and he another — any way there should be no strife. And he even 
told Lot to choose which way he would go. So Lot looked, and saw 
to the East a pleasant green valley, with fields of corn and mea- 






THE RAINBOW. 35 

dows, and a fine river running into a clear lake, and five fine towns 
on the bank. He liked it better than the bare stony hills where 
Abram was ; and he never thought whether the people were good 
or not, but he took the first choice, and went to live there. So 
Abram ^ave up. He had the right to choose first, but he would not 
use it. He let his nephew choose. For he hated quarrels, and 
knew they were wicked; and he knew how to stop them, because 
he would yield up the best. That is the way to make peace and 
please God. 




ABRAHAM ENTERTAINS THREE ANGELS.— Gen. 18: 10. 

QUESTIONS. 

1. Who had called Abram? 2. Who went with him? 3. What was Lot to 
Abram ? 4. Why did he go ? 5. What had God promised ? 6. What had 
they with them? 7. Who quarrelled ? 8. About what did the servants quarrel? 
9. Did Abram and Lot quarrel? 10. How did Abram prevent a quarrel? 11. 
Who was to choose first? 12. Who might have chosen first? 13. Why did not 
Abram choose first? 14. Ought you to be in haste to take the first choice? 15. 
What should you try to hinder? 16. And if you keep yourself back, and don't 
say "It's mine/' and "I must/' shall you not be likely to keep from quarrels? 



fourth Sunba^ 



ABRAHAM AND LOT. 

FIRST READING. 

"Escape for thy life; look not behind thee." — Genesis 19 : 17. 

HERE was a beautiful valley, with steep hills 
shutting it in on all sides, and a clear swift 
river running through the midst and spread- 
ing into a lake. There were fine fields and 
rich grass, where sheep, cows, and goats 
could feed, and the shepherds shelter them- 
selves under the palm trees ; and on the bank of the 
river were five cities, with strong walls round 
them, and full of rich people, who bought and sold 
and made merry with the good things they pos- 
sessed. There was one man living among them 
who was good, and was grieved by the wicked 
ways of the men round him, who only laughed at 
him if he tried to tell them of better things. One 
evening two strangers came into the city where he 
lived, and he was the only person who would take them in, and 
shelter them from the wicked people in the street. 

Those strangers told him the place was to be destroyed, with 
all that were in it, because it was so wicked ! Though the fields 
looked so quiet, the walls so strong, and the sun had gone down as 
usual, all would be ruined in a few hours' time! Then the 
strangers took hold of him, and his wife and daughters, and led 
them almost by force away from their home in the dawn of morn- 
ing, bidding them escape for their lives to the mountain, and not 

36 




ABRAHAM AND LOT. 



37 



look back. They were frightened, and begged not to have to go so 
far as the wild mountain. Might they not go to the little city near 
at hand? And their wish was granted. 

Just as the sun had risen they entered the little city for which 
they had. begged; and as soon as they were safe the four towns, 
that had seemed so strong and firm, were all burning with fire and 
brimstone ; and all the sinners who had mocked at warning were 
soon lying dead under God's awful anger ! Four alone had been 




LOT AND HIS FAMILY FLEEING FROM SODOM— Gen. 19 : 24-26. 

led out of the city by the strangers, but even of these only three 
came into the city of refuge. The wife did not heed the warning 
not to linger nor look back, the deadly storm overtook her, and she 
remained rooted to the spot — a pillar of salt ! 

The names of those cities were Sodom and Gomorrah, and 
the one good man who was saved by the mercy of God was named 
Lot. And now a strange gloomy lake called the Dead Sea covers 
that valley with its heavy waters, and the bare rocky hills, crusted 
with salt, show that the curse of God is on the place. 



38 ABRAHAM AND LOT. 

Let us try to carry home one thought from this terrible his- 
tory. This world will one day be burnt up like those cities, and 
its looking safe and prosperous now does not make it safe. But 
God sends messengers to lead us out of it. If we attend to them, 
and follow their advice, we shall through all our lives bp getting 
out of danger, and going on to a safe home in heaven ; but if we 
care only for pleasant things here, it is like looking back, and our 
souls will perish with what they love. That is why our Saviour 
bade us "Remember Lot's wife." We should remember her when 
we are tempted to think it hard to give up anything pleasant, 
because we are told that it is wrong, and may put us in danger of 

God's anger. 

QUESTIONS. 

1. What was the name of the place I told you of to clay ? 2. What was the 
name of the man ? 3. What kind of place was Sodom ? 4. Who was the only 
good man there? 5. Who came to Lot? 6. What did he do for the strangers? 
7. What did the strangers tell Lot? 8. Why Was Lot to come out of Sodom? 
9. Why was Sodom to be destroyed? 10. Where did Lot go? 11. Who looked 
back? 12. What became of her? 13. What did God do to Sodom? 14. 
What sort of a place is it now? 15. What will be burnt up some day? 16, If 
we are not good, what will become of us? 17. But what have we to teach us to 
be good? 18. And how must we try to come out, like Lot? 



SECOND READING. 



" Now I know that thou fearest God, seeing that thou hast not withheld thy 
son, thine only son from Me." — Genesis 22 : 12. 

Y-AND-BY Abraham had a son — one only son, whose 
name was Isaac. All the promises God had made were 
to be for Isaac's children after him: and Abraham 
loved God, and hoped all the more. 

But then God called Abraham to do a strange and 
terrible thing. He was to go and take his dear son 
Isaac to the top of a hill, and there to offer him up to God as if he 




ABRAHAM AND LOT. 



39 



had been a calf or a lamb. Of course, in general, to do such a thing- 
would be shockingly wicked; but Abraham knew that when God 
commanded a thing, it must be right to do as he was bidden, how- 
ever dreadful it was to him. 

So they set out together. Abraham took the knife, and a 
vessel with fire in it? and Isaac carried the wood with which the 
sacrifice was to be burnt. On the way Isaac said, "My father, 
behold the fire and the wood : but where is the lamb for a burnt 




ABRAHAM OFFERING ISAAC AS A SACRIFICE.— Gen. 22: 11, 12. 



offering?" And Abraham answered, "My son, God will provide 
Himself a lamb for a burnt offering." 

Isaac soon knew he was to be the lamb, for his father put 
the wood in order, and bound his limbs, and took the knife. And 
Isaac did not complain or struggle. He was ready, like his father, 
to do the will of God. But just as Abraham had the knife ready to 
slay his son, an angel called to him out of Heaven : "Lay not thine 
hand upon the lad, neither do thou anything unto him : for now I 



40 



ABRAHAM AND LOT. 




ABRAHAM'S SERVANT MEETJNG REBEKAH AT THE WELL.— Gen. 24: 17. 




REBEKAH SEES ISAAC COMING TO MEET HER.-Gen. 24 : 64, 65. 



ABRAHAM AND LOT. 41 

know that thou f earest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, 
thine only son from Me." 

Then Abraham unbound his son, and was glad as if Isaac had 
really risen from the dead. And he saw a ram caught in the 
thicket by its horns ; so he took that, and offered it up instead of 
Isaac. Thus God really provided a lamb for a burnt offering. 

And He blessed Abraham more and more, and promised again 
that his children should have the land, and that in his Seed should 
all the nations of the earth be blessed. That Seed was our blessed 
Lord Jesus Christ, who, you know, was really given by His 
Heavenly Father to die, and then came back from the dead, that all 
people might be saved by Him. 

QUESTIONS. 

1 . What was the name of Abraham's son ? 2. What had God promised 
Abraham ? 3. What had Abraham done at God's command? 4. What was he 
now to do? 5. Whom did he obey? 6. Where was he to go? 7. Who went 
with him? 8. What did Isaac ask? 9. What did Abraham answer? 10. 
Who seemed likely to be the Lamb ? 11. What was Abraham just going to do ? 
12. Who called him? 13. What did the angel tell him? 14. Why was God 
pleased with him? 15. What blessing did God give him? 16. Who was to be 
saved? 



THIRD READING. 

I am a stranger and a sojourner with you." — Genesis 23 : 4- 

BRAHAM and his wife Sarah had lived together many 

years ; but at last Sarah died, and Abraham wanted to 

bury her. You know in all the country he had not one 

morsel of ground of his own ; he was a stranger there, 

but he knew it would all belong to his children by-and- 

by. But he wanted to make sure of the one bit where 

his wife should lie. So he went to the prince to whom Hebron 

belonged, and begged to buy a field with trees in it, and a rock 

where there was a deep cave that was called Machpelah. 




42 



ABRAHAM AND LOT. 



The prince said he would give it; but Abraham could not feel 
sure that it would be always safe till he had bought it. So he 
weighed out the price. It was not in little bits of money like ours, 
but lumps of silver all the same weight, and each with a mark 
stamped on it — four hundred of them. Then the cave was given to 
Abraham, and he had his good true wife Sarah buried there, rolled 
in linen with spices. He was buried there afterwards himself, 
and so was his son Isaac, and Isaac's son after him, in the cave of 
Machpelah. 

That cave has been kept sacred ever since. There is a build- 
ing over it now, and no stranger is allowed to go into it; but deep 
down there is a golden grating, and far within lie these holy men 
and women of old. Their bodies are waiting to rise again at the 
Last Day, and then I hope we shall see them and know them. 

QUESTIONS. 

1. Who was Abraham's wife? 2. Where did Sarah die? 3. What did 
Abraham want to do? 4. Had he any ground? 5. So what was he obliged to 
do? 6. Of whom did he buy the place? 7. What was it called? 8. What is a 
cave? 9. What did he pay? 10. What was Abraham's money? 11. Who were 
buried there afterwards ? 12. How is the place marked now? 13. When will 
Sarah's body leave the grave in the cave of Machpelah? 14. What do you say 
you believe in? (In the eleventh Article of the Creed.) 15. What is Kesur- 
rection ? 




jfiftb Sunba^ 




JACOB'S JOURNEY AND DREAM. 

FIRST READING. 

" Bless me, even me also, O my father." — Genesis 27: 3$.. 

OD had called Abraham from his home, and 
promised to give his children the land of 
Canaan, and that in his Seed all the nations 
of the earth should be blessed. This was renew- 
ing to Abraham the great promise of the Seed 
of the woman that had been made to Eve ; and 
Abraham believed, and was glad. But though 
his children were to have the land, none of it was his ; and 
he went up and down in it a stranger, living in his tent, 
without house or home, only trusting in faith to God's 
promise to his children. His son Isaac lived like him, with 
no home, but looking on in faith to what God promised. 
Isaac had two sons; and as Esau was the eldest, he had the 
first right to these promises. But Esau did not care enough about 
them ; he did not seem to get anything by them, and he liked what 
he could get at once better than what was a long way off. He had 
no faith. 

One day he came home half dead with hunger, and saw his 
brother Jacob making soup over the fire. He said he would give 
all these rights for a meal of the soup ; for if he died of hunger, 
what good would his birth-right do him? So for a mess of pottage 
he sold his right to the land of Canaan, and to be the forefather of 
our Saviour. 

A time was to come when he would be sorry for what he had 

43 



44 JACOB'S JOURNEY AND DREAM. 

done. His father was old and blind, and thought he was going to 
die; so he bade Esau, whom he loved the best, bring home some 
meat and make a solemn feast — which was the way then of giving 
a blessing. Esau went, and in time brought home the meat to his 
father; but when he came in, Isaac cried out, and trembled! His 
brother Jacob had come in his stead, and Isaac had taken him for 
Esau, and given to him the blessing that gave the right to the 
promised land, and to all God's promises ! 




ISAAC BLESSING JACOB.- -Gen. 27 : 28, 29. 

Then Esau cried out with an exceeding bitter cry, and asked 
if his father had but one blessing! Isaac was grieved for him, 
and blest him with all his heart; but there was no changing back, 
no taking away what Jacob had won and Esau had lost. 

Esau did not know what he was doing when he took the 
pottage at once, rather than wait patiently for the glorious inher- 
itance that was to come. This was the reason that he was allowed 
to be so cruelly disappointed. This is a warning to us. We have 
the inheritance of the kingdom of heaven promised to us ; but we 



JACOB'S JOURNEY AND DREAM. 45 

are tempted not to care about it when we want something here in 
this world, whether play, or dress, or anything that seems a great 
deal to us now. 

But if we trifle away our right to these great promises that 
God made us at our baptism, there will come a time of bitter grief, 
when it is too late. And when we are dead, it will be too late to 
change ! Therefore, now while we are alive, we must have faith, 
and show it by taking care that the things we like here on earth do 
not make us lose the better things in heaven. 

QUESTIONS. 

1. What were the names of Isaac's two sons? 2. What had God promised 
Isaac ? 3. Which son had the first right to the promise ? 4. But which cared 
about it most? 5. What did Esau want? 6. So what did he give up for the 
sake of the soup ? 7. Could he get it back again ? 8. What are you an heir of? 
9. How could we lose the inheritance of the kingdom of heaven? 10. Shall we 
je able to change after we are dead? 11. Then what must we care about most? 
12f. Why could not Esau get his father's blessing? 13. What did he like better 
than waiting for what he could not see? 14. Can we see heaven? 15. But 
when we get there, will it not be better than anything we can see here ? 



SECOND READING. 




"This is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven." 

— Genesis 28 : 17. 

OU know that Isaac, Abraham's son, had two sons, whose 
names were Esau and Jacob. Now Jacob had grieved 
Esau by gaining God's great promise, for which Esau 
JK& was so angry with him, that he had to go out away from 
his father's home, all alone. But Jacob knew he was 
not alone, for God was with him. He went on till night came. 
Then he was in a dismal stony place, with no house or shelter 
near — only big stones, and here and there a thistle. 

He said his prayers, and then he lay down, with a stone for 



46 



JACOB'S JOURNEY AND DREAM. 



his pillow and the sky over him. But in the night he saw a won- 
der. There was a ladder reaching from earth to heaven, and 
God's angels were going up and down, and the Lord Himself stood 
at the top of the ladder. And He told Jacob that He was going to 
give his children all the land he saw — North, South, East, and 
West; and that He would take care of him, and be with him 
wherever he went, and in time bring him safe home. 

Jacob woke, and found it was a dream, but he knew it was 




JACOB'S VISION OF ANGELS.— Gen. 28 : 12, 13. 

true, and that God had really spoken to him ; and though he was 
glad he was afraid, and he said, "How dreadful is this place ! this 
is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven." 
And that he might always know the place, he put one of the great 
stones upright, and he took some of the sweet olive oil he had 
brought to eat on his journey, and poured it on the stone, as the 
only thing he could do to show honor to God. i 

Then he made a solemn holy vow, that if God would take care 
of him on his way, and give him food to eat and clothes to wear, 



JACOB'S JOURNEY AND DREAM. 47 

he would make a gift to God all his life of the tenth part of all he 

had. Good people like to do like Jacob, and give God their tenth. 

And if we only had our eyes opened to see, like his, we should see 

God's angels coming up and down with blessings for us, for we 

go to the house of God and gate of heaven whenever we go to 

church. Let us recollect how awful Jacob felt it to be so near to 

God. 

QUESTIONS. 

1. Who was Jacob? 2. Who was Isaac? 3. Who was Esau? 4. Why 
was Jacob obliged to go away? 5. What was the promise? 6. What kind of 
place had he to sleep in? 7. What was his pillow? 8. But what did he see? 
9. Who went up and down? 10. Who stood at the top? 11. What did God 
promise him? 12. What did Jacob say of the place? 13. How did he mark 
it? 14. What did he pour on the stone ? 15. What vow did he make? 16. 
What are the houses of God? 17. Who comes up and down to us ? 18. What 
do the angels bring us? 19. How much did Jacob promise to give God? 20. 
What does God do for us. 




THIRD READING. 

"Asa prince hast thou prevailed." — Genesis 32 : 28. 

T was a long journey that Jacob had had to take, but 

God took care of him, and brought him safe to the 

home where his mother had come from. He lived 

there, and took care of his uncle's sheep and cattle, till 

he had earned a great many for his own ; and he had 

married there, and had a great many sons. But after 

a time God commanded him to go home to the land of Canaan. 

He was afraid, because he thought his brother Esau might still be 

angry with him; but, in spite of his fear, he did as God bade him. 

When he came near the river Jordan, which flows on the East 
side of the land of Canaan, he prayed to God to guard him, and 
once more God let him see the angels who were going with him to 
protect him. He was glad, but he was still very careful. He 



48 



JACOB'S JOURNEY AND DREAM. 




JACOB MEETING RACHEL.— Gen. 29 : 10-12. 




LABAN HIRING JACOB.— Gen. 29 : 18, 19. 



JACOB'S JOURNEY AND DREAM. 49 

chose out a present of cows, and goats, and camels, and sheep, 
for Esau, and sent it on to meet him; and then he sent on 
the other cattle he wanted to keep for himself; then his children; 
and last of all, in the safest place, his dear young son Joseph. 




JACOB'S DEPARTURE FOR CANAAN.-Gen. 31 : 17, 18. 

Esau came to meet him, but not in anger. The two brothers 
met, and fell on one another's neck and kissed one another, and 
were friends. So God had kept His promise to take care of Jacob ; 
and Jacob kept his promise, for he set up an altar at Bethel, where 
he had seen the angels before, and praised and blessed God. 

QUESTIONS. 

1. Who was Jacob? 2. Why had he left home? 3. With whom did he go 
to live? 4. What did he earn there? 5. Why did he go back? 6. Why was 
he afraid? 7. What comforted him? 8. Of whom do God's angels take care? 
9. What did he give Esau? 10. How did he put his family in order? 11. 
Who went last? 12. How did Esau meet him? 13. What was the quarrel be- 
tween them? 14. But was Esau angry? 15. How did Jacob show he was 
thankful? 

4-B.S. 



50 



JACOB'S JOURNEY AND DREAM. 




JACOB AND THE ANGEL.— Genesis 32 : 24. 




THE MEETING OF JACOB AND ESAU.-Gen. 33 : 3, 4- 



Siitb Sunba^ 



JOSEPH IN EGYPT. 

FIRST READING. 

,r@@^ . " His brethren envied him." — Genesis 87 : 11. 

TOLD you how Jacob went away from 
home, and how God promised to take 
care of him. He did take care of him : 
He led him to his uncle, and with him 
Jacob lived many years, and then came 
back with flocks of sheep and goats, 
camels and cows. And he had twelve 
sons. The best one of them was named 
Joseph. Jacob loved him very much, 
and gave him a striped dress of many 
colors, such as the son who is to be the 
heir wears in those countries. But his brothers 
hated and envied him, and were all the time find- 
ing fault with him. 

One day, when Joseph was seventeen years old, 
ten of the brothers were out with their sheep, and Jacob desired 
Joseph to go and see what they were about. He would not tell his 
father how unkind they were to him, but he went ; and as they saw 
him coming some of them were so wicked as to say that they would 
kill him, and never let him go home. Reuben, who was the eldest 
brother, tried to hinder them ; but when he saw he could not stop 
them, he said the best way would be, not to kill him, but to let him 
down into a dry well just by. 

There they meant to let him starve to death ; and they let him 

51 




52 



JOSEPH IN EGYPT. 



down without any pity for him. Reuben meant to come by-and-by 
and take Joseph out of the pit and save him ; but there was another 
brother, named Judah, who did not want to have him killed, and 
who saw a great party of men, with camels and asses laden with 
goods, going on a journey. He knew they were merchants, going 
to sell and buy in Egypt, and he advised the other brothers to per- 
suade them to buy Joseph ; for in those days men and women used 
to be bought and sold, and were called slaves. 




JOSEPH SOLD BY HIS BRETHREN.— Gen. 37 : 28. 

So Joseph was drawn up out of the pit; and when the mer- 
chants saw what a fine young man he was, they paid the price for 
him and carried him off, away from his father and all he had ever 
known or cared for before. The cruel brothers kept his colored 
dress; and they killed a kid and stained it in the blood, and then 
carried it to their father, telling him they had found it. Jacob 
thought some wild beast had met Joseph and killed and eaten 
him, and he mourned and wept. His sons pretended to comfort 
him ; but not one of them would tell him that Joseph was not dead. 



JOSEPH IN EGYPT. 53 

QUESTIONS. 

1. Whose son was Jacob? 2. How many sons had Jacob? 3. What did he 
set them to do? ,4. Which did he love best? 5. What did he give Joseph? 
6. Where did he send Joseph? 7. What did the brothers want to do? 8. Who 
wished to save him? 9. So what did Reuben persuade them to do? 10. What 
did Reuben mean to do ? 11. But who came by? 12. What did the brothers 
do with Joseph? 13. Who persuaded them to sell him? 14. What are people 
called who are bought and sold ? 15. What was done with his coat? 16. What 
did Jacob think ? 

SECOND READING 

" The Lord made all he did to prosper in his hand." — Genesis 39 : 3. 

we see Joseph a slave. A slave is a servant who belongs 
to his master, as his cows and horses do; he gets no 
wages, and cannot go away, but is bought and sold like 
cattle. 

Think of poor Joseph. He was used to live as the 
son of a great rich prince, wearing a dress of many 
bright colors, with many servants, and no one to obey 
but his kind fond father; and living in a beautiful land, all hill 
and valley, where he used to feed his father's flocks. But now he 
was a slave in a strange land, with people speaking a language he 
did not know, and no one to care for him or say a good word to 
him, shut up in a house in a town, far away from his dear hills. 

Still he had one comfort, and the best of all — God was with 
him. He could still pray to God, and do his duty. And he did his 
work well, for God helped him, and everything he did was made 
to prosper in his hand. Then he was trusted. His master knew 
that he always took care of everything, as if it was his own, and 
left all to him, quite sure that it would be safe. 

But his wicked mistress made up a story that he had behaved 
ill, and he was put in prison for what he had not done. This 
sounds hard, but it was God's own way of bringing good to pass, 




54 JOSEPH IN EGYPT. 

and making Joseph come at last to honor. Very soon he was loved 
and trusted in his prison; and all he did the Lord made it to 
prosper. 

Think about this. Try when you have anything to do — a 
lesson or a bit of work — to ask God to make it prosper. Then if 
you try your best He will help, and it will be sure to turn out well. 

Then try to deserve to be trusted. That is a great thing. If 
you always recollect that God sees you, you will do the same when 
no one is with you as if all the world were watching; and that is 
the way to be true and just in all your dealings. If you are only 
good when you are looked at, you are not like Joseph, but are only 
doing service outwardly. You must try to live that your parents 
may 

" Out of sight 
Know all is right, 
One law for darkness and for light." 

QUESTIONS. 

1. Whose son was Joseph? 2. How many sons had Joseph? 3. What had 
they done to him ? 4. Why had Joseph's brothers sold him ? 5. What is a slave ? 
6. How did Joseph behave as a slave? 7. Who comforted him? 8. How did 
he take care of his master's things? 9. Who made up a story against him? 10. 
What was done to him? 11. But who was with him still? 12. Did he always 
stay in prison? 13. And what did people think of him, wherever he was? 14. 
What is the way to be like Joseph? 15. If you are trusted to carry a message, 
how should you do it? 16. Who always sees you? 17. Then, even if no one is 
by, how should you behave ? 





JOSEPH IN EGYPT. 55 

THIRD READING. 

" Do not interpretations belong to God ? " — Gen. Ifi. 8. 

HE young son of Jacob, Joseph, had, you know, been 
sold by his cruel brothers, and made a slave of; and 
then a wicked falsehood was told about him, and he 
was put into prison. But wherever Joseph was he 
tried to do his duty, and so God blessed him ; and the 
keeper of the prison soon found out how different he 
was from the others, and let him help. I suppose he helped to 
carry them their food and wait upon them; and he often could 
say a few kind good words to them. 

One day two grand people came in as prisoners. One was 
the chief of all the bakers, who made bread for king Pharaoh; 
and the other was the chief of all his cup-bearers, who carried him 
his wine. Some wrong thing had happened, and they were both 
suspected of having had something to do with it, so they had been 
sent to prison. 

WANTED TO KNOW THE DREAMS' MEANING. 

One morning Joseph saw them both looking more sad than 
usual; and when he asked what was the matter, they said each 
had a dream, and they wanted to know what it meant; for the 
Egyptians used to think a great deal of dreams, and there were 
men among them who pretended to explain them. Most dreams 
have no meaning, but these had, and God put it into Joseph's heart 
to understand them. 

The cup-bearer had dreamt that he saw a vine, and that it 
had three bunches of grapes, and that he was squeezing the juice 
into the king's cup as he used to do. Joseph said this meant that 
in three days the cup-bearer should really hand Pharaoh the cup 
again; and Joseph begged that when he was free, he would tell 
the king about himself, and get him set free. 



56 



JOSEPH IN EGYPT. 



Then the baker told his dream — that he had three baskets 
full of pastry and bread ready for Pharaoh, but that the birds 
came down and ate them up. Joseph was obliged to tell him that 
this meant that he would be hanged, and that the vulture and 
ravens would eat his flesh. So it happened. Pharaoh looked into 
the matter in three days' time; he caused the baker to be hung, 
and the cup-bearer to come back to his old place. But the cup- 
bearer was ungrateful, and forgot all about Joseph in his prison, 
trusting to him. 

QUESTIONS. 

1. Who was Joseph? 2. Where was he? 3. How came he to be in Egypt? 
4. Where had he been put ? 5. Had he done anything wrong ? 6. Who trusted 
him ? 7. What had he to do ? 8. Who came into the prison ? 9. What was 
the cup-bearer's dream ? 10. W r hat was the baker's dream? 11. What did 
Joseph say the cup-bearer's dream meant? 12. What did the baker's dream 
mean? 13. What happened? 14. What had Josenh asked of the cup-bearer? 
15. Did he remember ? 




POURING OUT A DRINK OFFERING. 



Seventh £unba\>- 



JOSEPH'S BROTHERS. 

FIRST READING. 

"We are verily guilty concerning our brother. " — Genesis 1$ : 21. 

JOSEPH did not always stay in prison, for God gave him 
wisdom to tell the king of Egypt that his dreams had 
meant that there were going to be first seven years of 
very fine harvests, and then seven years would come 
of no harvests at all. So the king took him out of 
prison, and made him a great lord ; and he set to work 
to buy the corn that was over and above what people 
wanted to eat in the years of plenty, that he might 
store it up against the years when the corn would not 
grow. 

So when the bad harvest began, Joseph had plenty 
of corn, and he sold it for the king to all who wanted 
it. The famine was not only in Egypt, but in all the 
> countries round; and by-and-by Joseph saw, among 

the people that came to buy, ten of his own brothers — 
the same who had sold him for a slave. 

He knew them, for they still looked like shepherds ; but they 
did not know him, for he had grown from a youth to a man, and 
was dressed like an Egyptian lord; and he would not seem to 
know them, though he wanted much to know what had become of 
his old father and his little brother Benjamin. He made as if he 
thought they were enemies, come to see if Egypt could be con- 
quered when it was so bare of food. 

Then they told him who they were; that they were all one 
man's sons, and that one brother they had lost; the other was left 

57 




58 JOSEPH'S BROTHERS. 

with his father, who could not bear to part with him. Joseph 
would not seem to believe this, and said he must keep one of them 
in prison, while he sent the rest back to fetch their youngest 
brother, or else he could not believe them. 

Then, when fear and trouble came on them, they began to 
think how ill they had used their lost brother Joseph; and they 
said to each other, "We are verily guilty concerning our brother." 
Joseph heard them, and could hardly bear it; but still he kept to 




JOSEPH INTERPRETING PHARAOH'S DREAM.— Gen. 41 : 29, 3<>. 

his plan. He kept Simeon a prisoner, that he might be sure of the 
others coming back, and sent them home to fetch Benjamin. But 
he would not have any of the money they had brought for the corn, 
and made his steward put it all back into the mouth of their sacks. 
When they found this out as they went home, they were much 
afraid; and when they came home, their father was more afraid 
still. After the way they had used Joseph, he thought they had 
killed Simeon, and wanted to kill Benjamin. They spoke truth 
now, but he could not believe them ; and he said he could not send 



JOSEPH'S BROTHERS. 59 

Benjamin, for if mischief should befall the lad, "then shall ye 
bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave." 

QUESTIONS. 

1. Where was Joseph? 2. Why was he in prison? 3. What did God make 
him able to tell the king ? 4. How many years was there to be much corn ? 5. 
What was to be done with the corn? 6. Who managed the buying it? 7. When 
was the corn wanted? 8. Who came to buy corn ? 9. Who did not come? 10. 
Why did not Joseph's brothers know him? 11. What did he make believe to 
think? 12. Whom did he tell them to fetch? 13. What did he give back to 
them? 14. What did their father say about Benjamin's going? 15. Why was 
he afraid to trust them with Benjamin? 16. What is the way to be believed? 

SECOND READING. 

"God Almighty give you mercy before the man. " — Genesis %.3 : H* 

OSEPH'S brothers were soon obliged to go again and buy 

more corn in Egypt. Joseph had said they must bring 

the young brother they had told him of, or he should not 

believe their story; and when they said Benjamin must 

go, their father Jacob was greatly grieved, and showed 

how little he could trust them now, after the way they 

had behaved to Joseph. He would not have let Benjamin go at 

all if Judah had not promised to take the greatest care of him; 

and Judah could be trusted. 

The story is so beautiful, and so easy to understand in the 
Bible, that I hardly like to tell it in my own words. Only think of 
Joseph's heart being so full when he saw his own dear youngest 
brother, that he could not stay with him for his tears, and went 
away to weep in his chamber ! And yet he still tried the brothers. 
He wanted to see if they still were envious of the one their father 
loved best; so he made his steward hide his cup in Benjamin's sack 
of corn, and then go after them, and pretend to think they had 
stolen it. 




60 JOSEPH'S BROTHERS. 

The sons of Jacob were no thieves, and they said the steward 
might search their sacks. They took them down and looked, and 
there was the cup in Benjamin's sack ! 

They were all shocked; and the steward said that Benjamin 
must go back and be punished. 

How pleased they would have been long ago if such a mis- 




JOSEPH PROCLAIMED RULER OVER EGYPT.— Gen. 41 : 4i> 43- 

fortune had happened to Joseph! But now their hearts were 
changed, and they were shocked and grieved. 



QUESTIONS. 

1. What had Joseph's brothers done to him? 2. What trouble did you hear 
last Sunday he was in ? 3. But how did he behave ? 4. And what had he come 
to be? 5. What had he stored up? 6. Who came to buy corn? 7. How many 
brothers came ? 8. Which did not come ? 9. Why did not Benjamin come ? 10. 
Did the brothers know Joseph? 11. What did he tell them to do? 12. When 
he saw Benjamin, where did he go? 13. What did Joseph tell his steward to do? 
14. What did Joseph want to see? 15. How did the brothers behave this 
time? 



JOSEPH'S BROTHERS. 



61 



THIRD READING. 

u God did send me before you to preserve life." — Genesis lf.5 : 5. 

LL the eleven sons of Jacob turned back in grief, and fear, 
and dismay, when Benjamin, the youngest brother, 
whom Judah had promised to bring safely back to their 
father, was found to have the silver cup of the lord of 
the land in his sack. How it came there they could not 
guess, but they knew that their father's heart would 
break if they came home and left Benjamin to be a slave. 





JOSEPH MAKES HIMSELF KNOWN TO HIS BRETHREN.— Gen. 45 : 2. 

So they all came to the lord of the land ; and Judah stood up 
before the strange, stern, princely man, and told him how much 
their old father loved this youngest son, and he would be sure to 
die if the lad did not come home safe. And then Judah begged to 
stay and be a slave in Egypt, instead of his brother Benjamin, for 
he said if mischief befell the lad his father would die, and that he 
could not bear to see. 



62 JOSEPH'S BROTHERS. 

But when Judah so spake, the lord of the land sent all the 
lookers-on away, and wept aloud, and said that he was their own 
brother Joseph, whom they had sold so long ago. He would not 
let them be afraid; he embraced them all and wept for joy, and 
asked for his father. Then he told them not to grieve for what had 
gone before; for God had turned it all to good, and made him be 
the means of saving all their lives, by storing up the corn in Egypt. 

And now they were to go home, and tell Jacob, their father, 




JOSEPH MEETING HIS FATHER— Gen. 46: 29,30. 

that Joseph was still alive, and was a great and powerful man; 
and they were to fetch old Jacob, their father, and their wives and 
their children, and all they had, and come to live with Joseph in 
Egypt, where he would take care of them. 

That was the way Joseph forgot all the ill his brothers had 
done to him, and forgave them, and loved them with all his heart. 
When the brothers came home, their father Jacob could scarcely 
believe such good news ; but at last he said, "Joseph my son is yet 
alive, I will go to see him before I die." 



JOSEPH'S BROTHERS. 63 

And he came down to Egypt, and Joseph met him and fell 
on his neck and kissed him ; and then there was joy indeed, joy as 
if Joseph had come back from the dead. 

So Jacob lived all the rest of his life in Egypt, and was happy 
with his son Joseph. God had given him another name, Israel, 
and his sons, and their sons after them, were always called the 
children of Israel. 

QUESTIONS. 

1. Who was Benjamin? 2. What was found in Benjamin's sack? 3. Who 
put it there ? 4. What was going to be done to Benjamin? 5. Who spoke for 
him? 6. What did Judah ask? 7. Who did the lord of the land turn out to 
be? 8. How came Joseph to be in Egypt ? 9. Why had his brothers not known 
him sooner? 10. How did he treat them ? 11. Whom did he send for ? 12. 
What did Jacob say? 13. Where did Jacob go to live? 14. Why was it very 
kind in Joseph to help his brothers? 15. Did he give back to them the harm 
they had done to him? 16. How could we do like Joseph? 




LEATHER BOTTLES. 



Eighth iSunba^ 




THE GALL OF MOSES. 

FIRST READING. 

" I have surely seen the affliction of My people. " — Exodus 3 : 7. 

OU heard how Joseph brought his father and 

brothers and their children to live in Egypt. 

Their children's children went on living there 

for many years, till they had come to be a 

great people, and were called the children of 

Israel ; but then the King of Egypt grew cruel 

to them. He made them work very hard to 

make bricks and build towns for him; and 

what was still worse, he ordered that whenever a little boy was 

born to the children of Israel, he should be thrown into the river 

and drowned. 

One mother hid her little baby for three months, and when 
she could not hide him any longer, she put him into a little cradle 
of bulrushes covered over with pitch, to keep the water out, and 
let the cradle float on the river, leaving the little boy's sister to 
watch him. Presently a lady, no other than the daughter of the 
cruel king, came down to bathe in the river. She saw the little 
cradle, and had it brought to her. The 'little baby was crying, and 
the lady pitied him and took him home, to bring up for her own 
child. She wanted a nurse for him, and his sister fetched his own 
mother, and she became his nurse. 

His name was Moses, and we hear about him in the Lesson 
to-day. He was not living with the king's daughter now. The 
king had grown angry with him because he cared for his own 
people, and he had had to flee away and keep sheep in the wilder- 
ness. 

64 




mmmmtiAaii\\Ti\ r 
MOSES AND THE TABLES OF THE LAW. 



THE CALL OF MOSES. 65 

And there he saw a great wonder. He saw a flame of fire 
in a bush, and yet the bush was not burnt. And God's voice spoke 
to him out of the fire that did not burn, and told him that the 
troubles of His people, the children of Israel, were to come to an 
end. God would save them from the cruel Egyptians ; and Moses 
himself was to go and lead them out, and bring them to the good 




PHARAOH'S DAUGHTER FINDING MOSES.— Ex. 2 : 5, 6. 

land that God had promised that Abraham's children should have 
for their own. Moses was to go and tell the King of Egypt that it 
was God's will that they should go. Moses was afraid at first, but 
God promised to help him. 

QUESTIONS. 

1. Who was Moses? 2. Where was he put when he was a baby? 2. Why 
was he put on the river ? 4. Who had said the little boys were to be drowned ? 
5. Whose babies were they that were to be drowned? 6. What other cruel things 
did the King of Egypt do to the children of Israel ? 7. Who were called the 
children of Israel ? 8. What became of Moses in his bulrush cradle? 9. Who 
brought him up? 10. Did he stay with the king's daughter? 11. Whom did 
he care for? 12. What wonder did Moses see? 13. Who spoke to him? 14. 
What was God going to do for His people ? 15. What land would he give them? 
5-B.S. 



.vM/a 




66 THE CALL OF MOSES. 

SECOND READING. 

" And Pharaoh said, Who is the Lord ? " — Exodus 5 : 2. 

OSES and his brother Aaron went and told Pharaoh 
|4^ God's message, that the people of Israel were to go 
away and worship Him. But Pharaoh said, "Who 
is the Lord, that I should obey His voice to let Israel 
go? I know not the Lord, neither will I let Israel 
go." And he was more cruel to the children of 
Israel ; he made them work harder and harder, and 
had them beaten if they did not do all the work that was set them. 

They had to make bricks of clay mixed with straw; and, to 
punish them, Pharaoh said that they should have no straw given 
to them for their work, but that they must find it for themselves ; 
and yet he required of them just as many bricks as they had had 
to make before. Then they cried out and were angry, and fancied 
Moses had brought all this trouble on them, by asking for them 
to go. They were very miserable, and said they wished they had 
never listened to Moses, for he had only made them worse off 
instead of better. 

Aaron was a better speaker than Moses, and God had said 
he should help him, and that, when God told Moses anything, 
Aaron should speak it to the people. So the two brothers stood 
telling the Israelites to bear it a little longer, and then it would 
be all well and over, and they would get away from making the 
bricks in Egypt to the beautiful country. 

They could not remember it themselves, but some of their 
fathers' grandfathers had been little boys when they came, and 
could tell them that it was a country not all flat, with only one 
river in it, like Egypt, but full of steep hills and green valleys, 
with bright streams running along in them, and thick woods on 
some of the slopes, and others laid out in gardens and vineyards. 
There were so many cows in the pastures, and in the wild rocks 



THE CALL OF MOSES. 67 

and hollow trees so many bees' nests, that it was called a land 
flowing with milk and honey. 

Should not the Israelites have liked to hear of such a place 
as this? But no, they were too dull to care. They thought more 
of whether they should get a leek or a melon to eat at supper, than 




THE ISRAELITES MADE TO WORK HARD IN EGYPT. -Ex. i: 13, 14. 

of all the lovely land far away. Do you know, people are very like 
that when they care for now more than by-and-by. If we want 
just what pleases us to-day, instead of caring for what will be 
good for us as we grow older, we are just like the Israelites, who 
would not attend to Moses or to God. 

QUESTIONS. 

1. Who was Pharaoh? 2. Who were the children of Israel? 3. Who had 
been sent to call them? 4. What did Pharaoh say to Moses? 5. How did he 
use the Israelites? 6. What would he not give them? 7. Who was Moses' 
brother? 8. What was Aaron to do for Moses? 9. Who spoke to Moses? 10. 
Who told the people what God said to Moses? 11. What kind of place did God 
promise? 12. What did Moses say it flowed with? 13. Why? 14. Did the 
Israelites care? 15. Why not? 16. When are we like them? 17. Which 
should we care for most, now or by-and-by f 



68 



THE CALL OF MOSES. 



THIRD READING. 

" I will redeem you with a stretched out arm. " — Exodus 6 : 6. 

HE Israelites were very unhappy, for Pharaoh was very 
cruel to them, and they thought it all Moses' fault. 
But Moses told them that they would be saved, and 
that God was going to show them His power, so that 
they might always remember what He had done for 
them, and how He punished Pharaoh, who would not 
obey Him. 

Then God made His power to be known ; so that Pharaoh and 





AARON'S ROD CHANGED TO A SERPENT.— Ex. 7 : 10. 

the children of Israel might both learn who is the great Lord of 
heaven and earth, who must be obeyed. First, Moses stretched 
out his rod, and all the water in the river turned into blood. For 
seven days it was all one red dreadful stream of blood ; and when 
Moses held out his rod again it turned back into pure water. But 
hardened his heart again, and would not let the people go. 



THE CALL OF MOSES. 



69 



Then God sent a multitude of frogs, that came into all the 
houses and bed-rooms, and on the tables and everywhere. Pharaoh 
could not bear to have these creatures everywhere, and said if the 
frogs would but go away he would let the children of Israel go. 
Moses prayed to God, and all the frogs died; but Pharaoh only 
hardened his heart again, and would not let the people go. 

Next, God sent lice, disgusting unclean creatures, most hor- 
rible to the Egyptians, who could not bear anything dirty; but 
Pharaoh did not care. Then came swarms of flies, buzzing, sting- 
ing, and tormenting; and Pharaoh said he would allow the Israel- 
ites to go, so the flies were taken away; but no sooner were they 
gone than he went back again to his obstinacy, and would not let 
the people go. 

He was trying to fight against God, and so came these terrible 
miseries on him. If people will not do better after being pun- 
ished, worse and worse is sure to come on them. 

QUESTIONS 

1. How did God punish Pharaoh? 2. What four plagues have I told you of 
to-day"? 3. Why did these dreadful things happen? 4. Did Pharaoh care for 
them ? 5. Why did he not mind them ? 6. What happens to those who do not 
mind being punished ? 




u ;-.-■-"-" 



$p 



^^M^&^^'^^t ^^j K ^:^7 >^*v,„ 




V Vft^Y^ _ 



IRintb Sunba^ 




THE PLAGUES OF EGYPT. 

FIRST READING. 

" There is none like Me in all the earth. " — Exodus 9 : 14.. 

OU remember that when God spoke to 
Moses out of the burning bush, it was to 
tell him that he should lead the children 
of Israel away from the people in Egypt, 
who were so unkind to them. 

But Pharaoh, the King of Egypt, 
said that they should not go ; he could not 
spare them, and he did not care for God's 
message to him. Then God punished 
Pharaoh that he might let them go. Ten 
times God punished him, and you hear about three of the pun- 
ishments to-day. 

First, how the sheep and cows, that the Egyptians wor- 
shipped like gods, fell sick and died, but still Pharaoh did not 
care ; then how the people all had sores and boils that made them 
very ill, but still Pharaoh did not care; and then how there was 
a terrible storm, thunder and lightning, and rain and hail — such 
big hailstones as killed the men and cattle that were out in the 
fields, and lightning that struck them, and wind that broke every 
tree in the field. 

No wonder that Pharaoh was frightened, and begged that 
the storm might cease, and said that then he would let the Israel- 
ites go. So Moses prayed to God, and the thunder left off, there 

was no more hail, and it was all still again. But when the thunder 
70 



THE PLAGUES OF EGYPT. 71 

was over Pharaoh grew wicked again, and left off caring, and 
said the Israelites should not go. And thus God went on being 
angry with him, till at last he came to a terrible end. 

I am afraid some children are a little like Pharaoh when they 
get sulky, and say "I won't," and if they are punished, still they 




THE PLAGUE OF LOCUSTS.— Ex. 10 : 12. 



won't — they think nobody shall force them, and they make them- 
selves hard that they may not do what they are told. It is very 
sad, for this hardness is very wrong, and you see how angry God 
was with this king for being obstinate. Pray to God to help you 
not to harden your heart, but to teach you to obey. And do not 



72 THE PLAGUES OF EGYPT. 

forget and do the same thing again when the punishment is over, 
or it will have done you no good, and you will have to be punished 
worse next time. 

QUESTIONS. 
1. What did God desire Pharaoh to do? 2. Who spoke God's words to 
Pharaoh ? 3. But what did Pharaoh say ? 4. Who was Pharaoh ? 5. Who 
was Moses? 6. What was done to Pharaoh? 7. Did he- mind ? 8. Tell me 
the three plagues we hear of to-day. 9. How many plagues were there in all? 
10. What happened in the thunder-storm? 11. What did Pharaoh say when he 
was frightened? 12. So what left off? 13. But did he let the people go ? 14. 
What fault in some children is the same as Pharaoh's ? 15. What~ought they do? 
16. Who can help them to fight their obstinate temper? 17. But how must they 
get God's help? 

SECOND READING. 

" The Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart, so that he would not let the child- 
ren of Israel go. " — Exodus 10 : 20. 

ORSE troubles are sure to come when people have 
not taken warning by what was sent them before. 
Pharaoh had not minded seven dreadful plagues, 
so now God sent another. He sent locusts. These 
were creatures like great grasshoppers. They 
came in swarms and clouds, and ate up every green 
leaf and blade of grass, and made all the earth brown and the 
trees dry sticks, so that there was nothing left for man or beast 
to eat. Then Pharaoh gave way a little, and said he would let the 
men go, but that their wives and children must stay; and he 
would not hear a word more, but had Moses and Aaron driven out 
from before him. 

Then God bade Moses to hold up his hand to Heaven. And 
darkness came on. It was dark all day — and with "darkness 
that might be felt;" not like night, but such black darkness that 
no fire or candle could give light, and no one dared to move about; 
but the Egyptians lay still in their places, full of horror and 




THE PLAGUES OF EGYPT. 73 

terror, for three whole days. But all the time it was light among 
the Israelites — the sun rose and set as usual; and thus God 
showed that they were His people. 

Then Pharaoh said that he would let them go — men, women 
and children, only he must keep all their cattle ; and when Moses, 
speaking God's words, said that the cattle must go too, and not a 
hoof be left behind, Pharaoh made his heart hard again, and 
drove out Moses, saying the people should not go, and that Moses 
should never see his face again. 

And Moses said, "Thou hast spoken well, I will see thy face 
again no more/' 

So ended the last hope for Pharaoh. He was never to have 
another chance of bending his will and doing as God told him. 
Oh, let us take care not to be like him ! 

QUESTIONS. 
1. How many plagues of Egypt were there? 2. Tell me which had happened* 
3. What are the two plagues of this lesson? 4. What are locusts? 5. What 
harm do locusts do? 6. Who did Pharaoh say might go? 7. Whom would he 
not let go ? 8. What plague came then ? 9. What made the darkness so horrible? 
10. How long did it last? 11. Who were not in the dark? 12. What did 
Pharaoh say then? 13. What did he want to keep back? 14. And how did he 
then change? 15. What did he say to Moses? 16. How did Moses answer? 

THIRD READING. 

(t He smote all the first-born in Egypt. " — Psalm 78 : 51. 

FTER the nine sad plagues that had come upon the 
Egyptians — the blood for water, the frogs, the lice, the 
flies, the cattle plague, the boils, the hail, the locusts, 
the darkness — there was to be still one plague more, 
the last and worst. That would make the Egyptians 
let the people of Israel go, so they must be ready. 
There should be a terrible night. God's holy angel would 
pass over the whole land of Egypt that night, and in each house 




74 THE PLAGUES OF EGYPT. 

of the Egyptians he would slay the eldest son of the family. No 
one would be spared : Pharaoh's eldest son, the young prince, and 
the very poorest person's son. They had killed the little Israelite 
babies, so God would punish them by killing their children. None 
of the Israelites should lose their children; only there was one 
thing for them to do. 




THE FEAST OF THE PASSOVER.— Ex. 12 : 11-14. 

They were that night to sup on a lamb, and, with some of the 
blood of the lamb, they were to make a mark on the door-post. 
Where that mark was the angel would pass over and do no one any 
hurt; but the people would be blest and set free, because they 
believed God, and did as He bade them. 

QUESTIONS. 
1. How many plagues of Egypt were there? 2. Say them over. 3. What 
were they all for ? 4. Who would not let them go ? 5. What was the last plague ? 
6. Who were to die? 7. Why did the Egyptians deserve to lose their children? 
8. Who would slay them? 9. Whom would the angel spare? 10. How were 
the Israelites to mark their houses? 11. With what blood? 12. What were 
they to do with the lamb ? 



{Tenth £unba\>* 



THE PASSOVER. 

FIRST READING. 



" There was not a house in whicl 

■ {3^ J^C?^, ,„|||, „„!i, „„||, %„€) 



there was not one dead. " — Exodus 12 : 30. 




1^ HIS is our own gladdest Sunday in all the 
year, and we read of the Israelites 
being glad too — glad upon the very 
Sunday that answered to this, thou- 
sands of years ago. On this Sunday, 
of all those thousands of years, there 
has been joy and gladness and thanking 
God. And why? It was because all 
the troubles in Egypt were over, and 
God brought the Israelites out safe. 

There was one thing they had to 
do first, though; Moses bade them do 
it, as God commanded him. Every 
family was to take a lamb, and it was 
to be killed and roasted whole in the 
evening, and some of its blood was to be marked upon the door- 
post of the house, and then all the family were to stand round the 
table, all ready dressed for a journey, and eat it as fast as they 
could, late at night. 

And while all the families, fathers and mothers and children, 
stood up eating the lamb in this strange way, there came a great 
shout and cry. God had sent His angel to punish the cruel Egyp- 
tians ; and every house where there was no mark of blood on the 

75 



76 THE PASSOVER. 

door-post had some one dead in it, and that dead person was the 
eldest or first-born son. 

There was a great cry, for there was death everywhere, from 
the son of Pharaoh who sat on his throne down to the child of 
the poorest slave ; and even the first-born cattle died too, because 




DEATH OF THE FIRSTBORN OF EGYPT.- Ex. 12 : 29. 

the Egyptians used to worship them ; but wherever there was the 
blood on the door-post the angel passed over, and the eldest son 
was safe. Then cruel King Pharaoh was sorry and afraid at 
last, and said that the people who brought such trouble on him 
should go where they liked. 

QUESTIONS. 
1. Why are we glad to-day? 2. Why were the Israelites glad to-day? 3. 
Where were the Israelites living? 4. What hard work had they to do? 5. 
Who said they should come out? 6. Who would not let them go? 7. What 
did God tell the Israelites to eat ? 8.- How were they to be dressed while they 
ate it? 9. What were they to do with the blood? 10. Who was going to pass 
over the land that night ? 11. What did the angel do where he did not see any 
blood on the door-post? 12. Who were frightened then? 13. What did the 
Egyptians wish then ? 



THE PASSOVER. 



77 



SECOND READING. 

"It is the sacrifice of the Lord's passover." — Exodus 12: 27. 

HEN the King of Egypt said the Israelites might go 
they were all up and dressed, quite ready and 
only waiting, and off they set. No more making 
of bricks, no more slaving for the Egyptians, no 
more drowning of babies! They were free! and 
God was going to lead them to the beautiful coun- 
try that long ago He had said He would give them. 




KtCti 




-%■ rrr oj> ••>- s-i *«r i— 

-a* -"=2i 2T ,-^i <=> ^ 



EGYPTIAN JUDGMENT SCENE. 

And so, to put them in mind how they were saved from the 
Egyptians, God bade them on the same day in each year to kill 
a lamb and roast it, and put the blood on the door-post, and eat 
the lamb all standing round the table, dressed as if they were 
going for a journey, that they might never forget how God had 
made them free. This was called the Passover, because the angel 
passed over the houses where the blood was marked over the 



78 THE PASSOVER. 

door. And God came in a pillar of cloud to show them the way 

they should go. 

Our blessed Lord was crucified when He had come to the 

Feast of the Passover many years after. You know He was like 

a lamb, He was so pure and gentle; and His Blood saves us, as 

that lamb's blood did the Israelites, and sets us free from the 

power of the devil. So we still keep the feast of being set free, 

on this happy Easter Sunday, when we recollect that Christ was 

slain for our sins, but that He rose again from the dead, and 

liveth for evermore. 

QUESTIONS. 

1. What did Pharaoh say that the Israelites might do? 2. What made him 
let them go at last? 3. Who were set free? 4. What were the Israelites to do 
every year? 5. What was this eating the lamb called? 6. Why was it called 
the Passover? 7. Why were the Israelites glad? 8. Who set us free ? 9. 
What did our Lord do as on this day ? 10. In what is He like a lamb? 11. 
So what did we say in the Easter Anthem to-day ? 12. How did God lead them? 

THIRD READING. 

" The children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of 
the sea." — Exodus 1£ : 16. 

LL the Egyptians were weeping over their dead first- 
born sons, and the Israelites were set free, and going 
gladly out and away from their hard masters. 

But Pharaoh's hard heart turned again, and he 
got all his chariots and horsemen together, and went 
after the children of Israel to drive them back to Egypt. 
And when he came in sight of them, there they were all upon the 
shore of the sea called the Red Sea. They could not go on, for the 
sea was straight before them; they could not go back, for the 
Egyptians were behind. They were sore afraid. But God spoke 
to Moses and told him not to fear. They had only to stand still 
and see how God would save them. 




THE PASSOVER. 79 

And God Himself showed that He was with them, for the 
pillar of cloud went behind them, instead of before, and made it 
dark to the Egyptians, but gave light by night to the Israelites : 
so the Egyptians could not get near them all night. 

Then God bade Moses stretch out his rod over the sea. And 
then there was a great wonder. The waves of the sea parted, 
and stood up on each side in a heap, and in between there was a 




PHARAOH'S HOST DESTROYED IN THE RED SEA.— Ex. 14: 30, 31. 

wide open space, where the children of Israel might walk safely 
dry-shod, through the very midst of the sea. Through it they 
went, men, women, and children, through the depths of the sea, 
with the waves standing still on each side of them. 

Pharaoh saw that they were all gone over. He chose to 
follow after them. But when his host was in the midst, the 
sea returned in its strength again and came down on the Egyp- 
tians, and every one of them was drowned — "they sank like lead 
in the mighty waters" — and the Israelites were freed from their 
enemies, quite away from all their trouble and all their slavery; 



80 



THE PASSOVER. 



and they sang hymns of joy to God, who had been so good to them 

and now had set them free. 

And we read about them being set free because this is the 

great Easter Day when we give thanks to our Blessed Lord for 

having set us free. 

QUESTIONS. 

1. What last plague had come on Egypt? 2. Who had set off to leave Egypt? 
3. But what did Pharaoh do? 4. What was before the Israelites? 5. What was 
behind? 6. Where did the pillar of cloud go? 7. How were the Egyptians cut 
off from them? 8. What wonder did God work? 9. Where did the Israelites 
go over? 10. Who came after them? 11. What became of the Egyptians? 12- 
Who were free? 13. Who had made them free? 




"Eleventh Sunba^ 



THE GAINSAYING OF KORAH. 

FIRST READING. 

" The Lord will show who are His and who is holy. " — Numbers 16 : 5. 
rrfP^ >*C .-ill. ..Mi. ...iii. SLq 

SgHEN the Israelites came out of Egypt 
they had a long journey to go, through 
a dreary, lonely wilderness. Moses 
and his brother Aaron led them; and 
God took care of them, and fed them, 
and kept them safe. 

But there were some wicked men, 
named Dathan and Abiram, who were 
tired of the wilderness, and were angry 
at having Moses for their leader and 
master, though God had made him lead 
them, and had done so much for them. 
They said they were as good as Moses, 
and that he should not be their prince. 
They did not care for God having spoken by him. 

Their end was so very dreadful that I can hardly tell it to 
you. God would not let them rise up against His servant Moses ; 
and when they would not listen nor repent He made the earth 
open under their feet, and they went down alive, and were 
swallowed up in the pit before the eyes of all the other Israelites ; 
and so they died the most terrible death anyone ever died. It 
was because they set themselves up against Moses, whom God 
had placed over them, that He was so angry with them. 




6-B.S. 



81 



82 



THE GAINSAYING OF KORAH. 



Remember God has set people over us: there are our fathers 
and mothers, and our clergymen and teachers ; and it is our duty 
to obey them, as He tells us in the Fifth Commandment. If we 
are proud and saucy it is very wrong of us. It is not likely that 
we should be so dreadfully punished in this life as Dathan and 
Abiram were ; but their horrible death should make us remember 
that God is very angry with those that will not try to obey those 
that have the rule over them, and set themselves up to be bold 
and proud, and to say they do not care. 




AARON AND HUR HOLDING UP THE HANDS OF MOSES.— Ex. 17 : n. 

QUESTIONS. 
1. What is the Fifth Commandment? 2. What is the explanation of it in the 
Duty to our Neighbor? 3. Who was set over the Israelites by God? 4. Where 
had he brought them from? 5. Where was he leading them to? 6. How should 
they have behaved to him? 7. What bad men were there among them? 8. 
Whom did they not care for? 9. What did they say? 10. Why was it very 
wicked of Dathan and Abiram not to obey Moses ? 11. What terrible end did they 
come to? 12. Why was God angry with Dathan and Abiram? 13. What make? 
Him angry? 14. Whom did you say He had set over you? 15. Then how 
must you behave to your parents and clergymen and teachers ? 



THE GAINSAYING OF KORAII. 



83 



SECOND READING, 

" And seek ye the priesthood also ?" — Numbers 16 : 10. 

HEN God gave the Commandments upon Mount 
Sinai, He chose that Aaron, Moses' brother, and 
his sons should be His priests. A priest had to 
offer up the sacrifices to God, and to burn incense 
to Him. Incense is made of dried plants and gums 
that have a sweet smell when they are burnt. 
The priests had brazen urns with holes at the top, and chains 
to hold them by, and when the smoke of the incense went up it 





KORAH AND HIS ASSOCIATES SWALLOWED UP.-Num. 16 : 31-33. 

was just as our prayers rise up to God in heaven. There were 
other people called Levites, who had to take care of the holy things 
that were used in God's service, but only the priests might offer 
sacrifices or incense. 

Now one of these Levites, named Korah, wanted to do more. 
He was angry, and said everybody was holy, and that Aaron 



84 THE GAINSAYING OF KORAH. 

took too much on himself. Now it was not Aaron who made him- 
self priest, but God had made him so. Therefore it was wrong 
in Korah; but there were two hundred and fifty men whom he 
persuaded to come and get censers, and offer incense to the Lord 
as if they had been priests. But because they did it in pride and 
self-will God was angry with them, and His fire burst out and 
scorched them all to death ! It was only the men themselves that 
died, not their wives or children; and Korah's family after him 
were better than he was, and used to sing God's praises in the 
Psalms. 

But they always recollected that no one who was not a priest 
might offer sacrifice or burn incense before God. 

QUESTIONS. 

1. What had a priest to do ? 2. What was a sacrifice ? 3. What was incense ? 
4. What was it burnt in? 5. Who only might offer *sacrifice and incense? 6. 
Who was the right priest? 7. How came Aaron to be priest? 8. Who wanted 
to offer incense ? 9. What did Korah say? 10. How many came with him? 
11. What did they try to do? 12. What happened to the two hundred and fifty? 
13. Why were they punished? 14. What became of Koran's children? 15. 
Who are our priests ? 16. How were they made priests? 17. What may they 
alone do? 

THIRD READING. 

" The rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded, and brought forth 
buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds. " — Numbers 17 : 8. 

HE high-priest, whom God chose, had to offer sacrifices 
to Him. That was, the priest slew a lamb, or a goat, 
or a bullock, by the altar, and gave it to God. It was 
to show that the Son of God would come and die to 
take away sin. Now He has come and died, we have 
left off killing creatures in sacrifice, and only make 

remembrance over again of His sacrifice in the sacrament of the 

Lord's Supper. 




THE GAINSAYING OF KORAH. 



85 



The high-priest used to wear a beautiful dress. He had a 
mitre on his head, with a gold plate on it, and the words, "Holiness 
unto the Lord;" and he had a blue, red, and white robe, embroi- 
dered with gold, and round the hem little gold bells and pome- 
granates. He had a curious scarf called an ephod, and a beautiful 
breast-plate made of twelve precious stones, each with the name of 
one of the twelve tribes of Israel engraven on it. 




AARON'S ROD THAT BUDDED.— Num. 17 : 8, 9. 

God said He would show who should be His priest. So He 
bade Moses desire the chief man in each tribe to bring a dry rod 
or staff, and lay them up all night in the Holy Place. The one 
whose rod began to grow as if it was still on the tree should be 
the high-priest. When the twelve men went to look in the morn- 
ing, eleven rods were dry sticks still, but one had put out green 
leaves and pink buds, and white blushing flowers, like almond 
blossoms. It was Aaron's rod ; and this was the way God let the 
children of Israel know that Aaron and his sons, and grandsons 
after him, were always to be priests. 



86 



THE GAINSAYING OF KORAH. 



QUESTIONS. 

1. What was a priest? 2. What had he to do? 3. What was a sacrifice? 
4. How was it offered? 5. What creatures were killed? 6. Where were they 
put? 7. What was this to make the children of Israel think of? 8. Why don't 
we kill sacrifices now? 9. Who has been sacrificed? 10. What did the high- 
priest wear on his head ? 11. What color was his dress ? 12. How was it edged? 
13. What was on his breast? 14. What did God say He would show? 15. 
What were twelve men to bring? 16. Where were the rods put? 17. What 
was to show who should be priest? 18. What were the eleven rods like in the 
morning? 19. But how did one look? 20. Whose was it? 21. What, then, 
was Aaron to be ? 




THE HOLY PLACE. 



TTwelftb £unba£- 




ISRAEL IN THE WILDERNESS. 

FIRST READING. 

Ye shall not tempt the Lord your God. " — Deut 6 : 16. 

TOLD you what sort of place a desert is, and how 
full it is of stones, and rocks, and sand, and with 
no water in it. Do you remember how thirsty Ish- 
mael was in the desert, and how God heard the 
voice of the lad, and sent an angel to lead his mother 
to a well of water? 

When the Israelites had come out of the land 
of Egypt, they were in a terrible wilderness. Mount 
Sinai stood up in the midst, and all round were great 
rocks of red and black marble, all dry and parched 
with the hot sun shining on them. 

The Israelites grew very hot and sadly thirsty, but they did 
not pray as Ishmael had done. They grew angry, and said, "Is 
the Lord among us or no?" Do you not think they deserved that 
God should show whether He was among them by punishing them 
for grumbling? That was the way they tempted God. But He 
was so good and merciful that He pitied them ; and He bade Moses 
to take his rod, and go to the bare, dry rock, and strike it. And 
when Moses struck the rock, God made a beautiful, fresh, clear 
spring of water come pouring out of it, so that all the people, 
and all their cows, and sheep, and goats, and camels, could drink 
and be refreshed. 

Was not that a great wonder? and was not God very kind to 
them, though they were not good? But you see God was near to 



88 



ISRAEL IN THE WILDERNESS. 



help them all the time, and it was very sad that they grumbled 
instead of praying. Do not be like them. If a thing is hard to 
bear, don't murmur and grumble about it, but pray, and then you 
will get help. Either the vexing thing will go away, or you will 
leave off minding it. 




MOSES BRINGING WATER FROM THE ROCK.— Ex. 17 : 6. 



QUESTIONS. 

1. "Where had the Israelites come from? 2. Who was leading them? 3. What 
kind of place did they get into? 4. What is a desert like? 5. What was the 
mountain in the midst of the desert? 6. What cannot be found in the desert? 
7. Who was the lad that was thirsty there before? 8. What did Ishmael do 
when he was thirsty ? 9. Bat what did the Israelites do ? 10. What did they 
say? 11. What would have served them right? 12. But did God punish them? 
13. What did he tell Moses to take? 14. What did Moses strike? 15. What 
came out of the rock? 16. What made the water come out of the rock? 17. 
Was it not very good of God to give them water? 18. What ought they to have 
done? 19. What should you do when a thing is hard? 20. Is it not very 
naughty to grumble? 



ISRAEL IN THE WILDERNESS. 



89 



SECOND READING. 

"As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of 
man be lifted up/' — John 3: 1J.. 

NE great fault of the Israelites was that they had no 
patience. The moment they saw anything trouble- 
some or difficult, they began to cry out, and say they 
could not get on, and it was very hard on them. 
Now it is very wrong ever to say God is very hard 
upon us, for we may be sure He is doing what is best 
for us. There was one stony, hot, steep part of the 
journey still to come, and when the Israelites saw it they forgot 





THE BRAZEN SERPENT.— Num. 21 : 31. 

how often God had helped them, and cried out, and lamented, and 
complained of Him and of Moses. 

So again they were punished, for the little shining snakes 
that live there came in numbers, darting at them and biting them, 
so that the bite burnt like fire, and they died. Then they cried 



90 ISRAEL IN THE WILDERNESS. 

out to God and were sorry, and He told Moses of a wonderful way 
to cure them. Moses was to melt up some brass and make a great 
serpent, like the little ones that bit them, and set it up on a pole. 
Then if anyone who was bitten would come at once and look up at 
the brazen serpent, his bite would get well, and he would not 
die of it. 

This was a miracle— a wonder. And it was to teach the 
Israelites something, and us too. For you know our Blessed Lord 
hung on the cross, as the serpent hung on the pole ; and when our 
souls are in danger of dying of sin, we must think of Him, and 
look to Him in faith, and He will save us from being punished for 
our sin, and keep our souls from dying. 

QUESTIONS. 

1. What sort of place had the Israelites to go over? 2. How did they like it? 
3. What did they do ? 4. Why ought they not to have cried out? 5. Who had 
been taking care of thern ? 6. So how did God punish them ? 7. What happened 
when the serpents bit them? 8. What were they sorry for? 9. So what was 
Moses to make? 10. Where did he put the brazen serpent? 11. What were 
they to do if they were bit? 12. What cured them? 13. Who hung upon the 
cross? 14. What does He cure our souls of? 

THIRD READING. 

" He humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, 
which thou knewest not. " — Deut. 8 : 3. 

HIS morning you heard how God gave the children of 
Israel water to drink in the wilderness. Now you 
shall hear what He gave them to eat. The ground 
was all hard stones. There was grass which the cows 
and sheep could eat, and there were a few trees with 
long sharp thorns, but no fruit on them, and no corn 
to make bread ; and soon the people were very hungry, and began 
to cry out that they did not know what would become of them. 

But God was not going to forget them. When they rose up 
in the morning, the fresh dew lay on the grass, and all about 




ISRAEL IN THE WILDERNESS. 91 

in the dew were little white things that tasted like wafers made 
with honey. This was called manna, and God had sent it from 
heaven for them to eat. 

Every morning on week days there it was, and they had all 
to come out and pick it up. But they must get up early to gather 
it, for when the sun was hot it would melt away. And they could 
not keep it — it grew bad and was not fit to use the next day; 
but there was always just enough for everybody to have all they 
wanted. There was only one day in each week that more came 




PRIEST 



HIGH-PRIEST 



LEV1TE 



down, and that was the day before the Sabbath-day, which they 
had instead of Sunday. Then each one could get twice as much 
as could be eaten in one day, and it did not spoil so fast. For on 
the Sabbath-day God would have them rest, and so no manna was 
to be found anywhere, so that they might learn to keep the Fourth 
Commandment — Remember the Sabbath-day to keep it holy. 

All the time they stayed in the wilderness, the sweet white 
manna lay on the grass in the morning for them to pick it up — 
twice as much on the sixth day of the week, and on the Sabbath- 
day none at all. Was not that very good of God? 



92 



ISRAEL IN THE WILDERNESS. 



QUESTIONS. 

1. Where were the Israelites? 2. What had they to drink in the wilderness? 
3. What else did they want? 4. Why could they not get bread? 5. What did 
God give them instead? 6. What was the manna like? 7. Where did it lie? 
8. When was the manna on the grass? 9. Who were to eat it? 10. Who sent 
it? 11. What became of it in hot sunshine? 12. Would it keep? 13. What 
was the day when it could be kept? 14. How much came down the day before 
the Sabbath? 15. What might not be done on the Sabbath? 16. What is the 
Fourth Commandmant? 17. So why did they get twice as much manna the day 
before? 18. W r hen did no manna come? 19. What day have we instead of the 
Sabbath? 




^Thirteenth 5unba\>, 




BALAAM AND BALAK. 

FIRST READING. 

"Thou shait not curse the people: for they are blessed. " — Numbers 22 : 12. 

HERE was a prophet called Balaam. A 
prophet means a man to whom God 
made His will known, and who was thus 
much wiser than other men. This prophet 
one day saw some rich great men come to 
his house. They brought him a message, 
that a king named Balak wanted him to 
come with them, and would give him great 
rewards for coming. Balaam said he must 
wait for one night, and God would make 
known to him what he was to do. And at night God told him he 
was not to go; for what Balak wanted of him was to curse the 
children of Israel, and God would not have them cursed. So 
Balaam said he must not go, and the messengers went away. 

But Balak sent more princes, still grander men, with larger 
presents, to fetch Balaam. He answered, "If Balak would give 
me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word 
of the Lord my God, to do less or more." But he had not left off 
wishing. He begged the messengers to stay, and see if God would 
give him leave to go. And this time God did say he might go, 
but that he should not say anything about the Israelites but what 
God put in his mouth. Balaam knew that God was not pleased 
with him; but he wanted Balak's rewards, and he set off in the 
morning, riding on his ass. 

93 



94 



BALAAM AND BALAK. 



Presently the ass was frightened, and turned out of the road 
into the field. Balaam was angry at this, and beat the ass. But 
again the ass turned aside in a narrow walled path, and squeezed 
Balaam's foot against the wall. He beat her again. Presently, 
in a very narrow road, the poor ass fell quite down for fear; and 
Balaam was very angry, and beat her harder. 

Then God worked a wonder. He made the dumb ass to 
speak, and ask why he was so cruel to her. He answered that he 




BALAAM MET BY THE ANGEL OF THE LORD.— Num. 22 : 31. 

only wished for a sword to kill her. The ass asked if she had ever 
been like this before. He said, No. And then, full before him, 
he saw God's holy angel with a sword in his hand. And he fell 
down on his face: 

The poor ass had seen the angel all the time; but Balaam 
could not see him till God made him able. And now he was afraid, 
and would have gone back ; but the angel said he must go on now, 
though he would only be able to speak the words which God put 
in his mouth. 



BALAAM AND BALAK. 95 

Think if, sometimes when you have been told you must not do 
something, you fret and teaze to do it — is not that like Balaam? 
And perhaps you teaze till some one gives you leave to do as you 
wish. Then you get quite cross with eagerness, and are unkind 
to all that hinders you; and, after all, you do not find that any 
good comes of getting your own way. 

QUESTIONS. 

1. What is a prophet? 2. Who sent for Balaam? 3. What did God tell 
Balaam? 4. But what did Balaam wish? 5. How did he get leave to go at last? 
6. But who stood in his way? 7. Who saw the angel first? 8. What did 
Balaam do to the ass? 9. What wonder did God work? 10. What did the ass 
say? 11. Whom did Balaam see? 12. What did the angel tell him? 13. 
What had he been allowed to have? 14. Does good come of having our own way? 

SECOND READING. 

" There shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of 
Israel. " — Numbers ££: 17. 

HERE was a king named Balak, whose land the Israel- 
ites were to pass through. They promised not to do 
any harm to him or his people, if they might go 
quietly through; but he was afraid and angry, and 
wanted to have them cursed, hoping to bring God's 
anger on them. That was a very wicked and foolish 
notion of King Balak's ; and God would not let it bring harm upon 
His people. They had not deserved to have His anger called down 
on them, and so He would not be angry with them. 

And when Balak's friend Balaam tried to speak curses, God 
turned them all to blessings; and, instead of saying they should 
come to a terrible end, he could only say how happy and well off 
they should be, with God to take care of them, and be their King. 
He even went on to say that a Star should come out of Jacob, and 
a Sceptre should rise out of Israel — and that meant that our 




96 BALAAM AND BALAK. 

Saviour should be born among them. He is called a Star, because 
He came to give us light ; and you know a star showed the way to 
the place where He was born. And a sceptre is the rod a king 
carries in his hand. So when He was called the Sceptre, it meant 
that He should be a King. 

Only think how angry Balak was, when Balaam could not 
curse, but only blessed. I wish he had been afraid, and seen it 
was not God's will that he should hurt the Israelites ; but instead 
of that, he went on in his wickedness, and was miserably killed 
at last ; for God took care of His people, and would let no one do 
them any harm. 

Now, recollect, bad words and bad wishes do harm to the 

person that speaks them, not to those they are meant for. If a 

bad boy came and abused a steady one for going to church, or 

saying his prayers, it would be very bad for himself; but if the 

good boy kept on quietly, nothing that the other could say would 

hurt him one bit. God would take care of him as surely as He 

took care of the Israelites. 

QUESTIONS. 

1. "What did Balak want? 2. Why did he want the Israelites to be cursed? 
3. Whom did he set to curse the Israelites ? 4. But what did Balaam do instead? 
5. Why could he not curse them? 6. Who would not ]et him curse them? 7. 
Who was to be born among them? 8. What did Balaam call our Saviour? 9. 
Why was He like a star? 10. Why was He like a sceptre? 11. Could Balak 
hurt the Israelites? 12. Why not? 13. Whom do bad words hurt? 14. Ought 
we to mind them? 15. If anyone teazes you when you try to be good, must you 
leave off? 





BALAAM AND BALAK. 97 

THIRD READING. 

"The people did eat, and bowed down to their gods. " — Numbers 25 : 2. 

OU heard how Balaam went to Balak ; and how God made 

him bless the children of Israel when he wanted to curse 

them. But even this did not make Balaam good. He 

wanted Balak to give him a reward ; and so he told him 

that though no harm could happen to the people of 

Israel while they were good and worshipped their God, yet if he 

could make them do something wicked, and turn away from their 

God, then God would be sure to punish them. 

THE ISRAELITES INVITED TO A GREAT FEAST. 

So these two wicked men sent a number of women to invite 
the Israelites to hold a great feast with them, in honor of their 
idol Baal Peor. Many were so foolish and wicked as to be led 
away ; and they had a great feasting and revelling, and all kinds 
of bad pleasures that these heathen women said were to do praise 
to this horrible false god. Then, though Balak might have cursed 
for ever without hurting them, they had done themselves the 
harm. God sent a deadly sickness, and in one day twenty-four 
thousand people died. 

But Phinehas, Aaron's grandson, did as Moses commanded 
him. He first put to death the wickedest of the people who had 
joined themselves to Baal Peor; and then he prayed — and all the 
people prayed and wept too. So God forgave them, and the plague 
ceased. 

Afterwards Phinehas led the Israelite fighting men to punish 
the wicked Balak and his people ; and Balaam was killed in fight- 
ing with them. All the wicked women who had tempted the 
Israelites away from God were put to death too. So Balaam's evil 
counsel ended in all sorts of misery. It is very sad to think of 

7-B.S. 



98 



BALAAM AND BALAK. 



him, for he knew so well what was good, and yet did what was so 
very bad. But remember this, nobody could hurt God's people 
till they did wrong, and then they hurt themselves, and God pun- 
ished them. 

QUESTIONS. 

1 . What did Balak want to do ? 2. How had Balak tried to hurt the children of 
Israel ? 3. Why could not Balaam curse them ? 4. Wh'at did Balaam think 
would be the way to hurt them? 5. Whom did he send to them ? 6. Whom did 
the women persuade them to worship ? 7. What did God send to punish them ? 
8. How was the plague stopped? 9. How was Balaam punished? 10. Why 
was Balaam greatly to be blamed? 11. When could not Balaam hurt them ? 12. 
When could he hurt them ? 13. For who took care of them when they were good ? 




HIGH PRIEST WITH SIN OFFERING. 



^Fourteenth £unba\\ 



THE GIVING OF THE LAW. 

FIRST READING. 

"Thou heardest His words out of the midst of the fire. " — Dent. £ : 86. 

HEN the children of Israel had come out 
of Egypt, God had told Moses to lead 
them to the foot of Mount Sinai. This 
was a high steep rocky mountain in the 
wilderness. And God told Moses to set 
bounds round the mountain, so that 
nobody should come and touch it; and 
the people were to pray, and wait round 
it for the holy and awful thing that 
was to happen. 

Then there came on the hill-top a 
deep dark cloud, and the mountain was altogether 
on a smoke, and it shook and quaked, and there 
were lightnings and thunders and voices, and the 
sound of a trumpet loud and louder, so that all the 
people trembled. Then out of that cloud there came a voice 
speaking to them — a voice that they all could hear, and that made 
them afraid. For it was the voice of God. And God spoke out 
of the cloud, and gave the Ten Commandments. They were the 
very same Ten Commandments you say in the Catechism, and 
see written up in church. 





100 



THE GIVING OF THE LAW. 



101 



God had come in this terrible and awful manner to speak to 
them, that all Israel might hear and fear, and take care not to 
break them. Afterwards God gave these Ten Commandments 
to Moses, written upon two tables — or pieces of stone — written 
by God Himself. That was the way the Ten Commandments 
were given — by God's own voice speaking to men, out of the cloud, 




MOSES RECEIVING THE TABLES OF THE LAW.-Ex. 31 : 18. 

amid thunders and lightnings, and the sound of the trumpet, 
dreadful to hear. 

And God means us all to obey the Commandments, just as 
much as He meant the Israelites to obey them. They are His 
words, and must be kept; and if we ask Him in our prayers He 
will give us help and strength to obey them, so that we may fulfil 
the promise that was made at our baptism, that we should keep 
God's Holy Will and Commandments, and walk in the same unto 
our lives' end. 



102 THE GIVING OF THE LAW. 

QUESTIONS. 

1. Where had the children of Israel come from? 2. Who was leading them? 
3. Where did God tell Moses to take them ? 4. What wonderful sight did they 
seeoD Mount Sinai ? 5. What did they hear? 6. Who spoke out of the cloud ? 
7. What did God speak? 8. How many Commandments? 9. Tell me the first 
of them. 10. On what did God write them? 11. To whom did He give them? 
12. When do you say them? 13. When did you promise to keep them? 14. 
What is keeping the Commandments ? 15. How can you be helped to do as they 
fell you? 16. How must you ask for God's help? 

SECOND READING. 

"The Lord talked with you face to face in the mount out of the midst 
of fire." — Deuteronomy 5 : 4- 

HEN the lightning and thunder and the loud voice 
of the trumpet came forth from the cloud on Mount 
Sinai, and God had spoken the Ten Command- 
ments,, He called to Moses to come up and speak 
with Him in the cloud. How wonderful it must 
have been! Moses was the only man that ever 
spoke so near to God. 

God gave him two blocks of stone written with the Ten 
Commandments, written with God's own Finger. Then God told 
him to make a chest to keep them in. It was to be made of wood, 
with gold all over it ; and two figures of cherubims were to be one 
on each side. This chest was to be called the Ark of the Covenant. 
And it was to be put into a square room, inside a tent, that was to 
be made with curtains, and carried about with the Israelites. It 
was to be called the Tabernacle. And this was to be a very holy 
place. 

The children of Israel would say their prayers in front of 
the Tabernacle ; but they were not to go into the place where the 
Ark was, because they were sinful, and God is holy. That place 
was to be called the Holy of Holies, and no one might go near it 




THE GIVING OF THE LAW. 103 

but the Priests whom God chose, and set apart to lead His wor- 
ship. 

The first High Priest was to be Moses' brother Aaron; and 
he was to wear a beautiful dress when he ministered before God — 
a high cap with "Holiness to the Lord" on it, a long embroidered 
robe, edged with gold bells and pomegranates, and a blue scarf 
crossed over her breast ; and in the middle a breast-plate, made of 
twelve precious stones, each carved with the name of one of the 




MOSES DESTROYS THE TABLES OF THE LAW.— Ex. 32 : 19. 

twelve tribes of Israel, so that he might have them on his heart 
as he prayed to God. All this and much more God told Moses 
while he was on the mount. 



QUESTIONS. 

1. What was given on Mount Sinai? 2. Who spoke the Commandments? 3. 
To whom did God give them? 4. What were they written on? 5. Who wrote 
them ? 6. Where were they to be kept? 7. What was the chest like? 8. What 
was the chest called? 9. Where was Moses to put the chest? 10. What was the 




104 THE GIVING OF THE LAW. 

room called? 11. Who might go near the Holy of Holies? 12. Who was the 
first High Priest? 13. Who was Aaron? 14. What was Aaron to wear? 15* 
Why might not the people come near ? 

THIRD READING. 

" Know therefore that the Lord thy God, He is God. " — Deut. 7 : 9. 

HEN Moses went up into the awful cloud upon 
Mount Sinai, he stayed there forty days. 

But all the Israelites below were impatient. 
They could not think what had become of Moses; 
and though they had so lately heard God's own 
Voice speaking to them, they would not wait as 
they had been told to do. They cried out that they wanted some- 
thing instead of Moses, whom they had lost. 

So they took all their gold ear-rings and melted them, and 
made an image of a golden calf. And then these foolish wicked 
people began to feast and dance, and worship this golden idol. 

Moses was coming down Mount Sinai with the two Tables 
of the Commandments in his hands. And first he heard a shout- 
ing and singing ; then he saw the people leaping and dancing, and 
the great golden idol standing in the midst. Then he was sure 
it was of no use to bring them the Commandments if they minded 
them no better. So he took the two tables of stone, and threw 
them out of his hand, and broke them to pieces. 

Then he went down, and severely punished the worst of the 
Israelites for having disobeyed the commandment. And he broke 
the golden calf to pieces, and ground it to powder. 

Then he went and prayed to God to forgive the people. God 
did forgive them, and let Moses bring two fresh tables of stone 
to be written with the Ten Commandments. But the first that 
they had lost were the tables God had given, and they could never 
have them back again ! 



THE GIVING OF THE LAW. 



105 



QUESTIONS. 

1. Where was Moses gone? 2. What was God going to give him? 3. Who 
were left below? 4. What did the Israelites want? 5. What did they take off? 
6. "What did they make of their ear-rings? 7. What is the Second Command- 
ment? 8. How did they break the Second Commandment? 9. What did Moses 
do to the Tables of the Law? 10. Why did he throw them down? 11. What 
did he do with the golden calf? 12. Where did he go then? 13. What did he 
do for the Israelites ? 




ANCIENT MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS. 



^fifteenth £unba\\ 




THE GIVING GF THE LAW. 

FIRST READING. 

" I prayed therefore unto the Lord, and said, O Lord God, destroy not Thy 
people and Thine inheritance. " — Deut. 9 : 26. 

AST Sunday you heard how sadly the people of 
Israel sinned by making the golden calf, while 
Moses was up in the mountain, and how he 
punished them. 

Then he said he would go and pray to 
God to forgive them, and try them again. So 
up he went over the rough rocks of Mount 
Sinai, and into the cloud again, where he had 
spoken with God before. And he prayed with 
all his might that God would not cast off His people, though they 
had been so wicked, but would give them again the Command- 
ments on their tables of stone. And God listened to Moses, and 
promised to give them the Commandments again. 

Then Moses made a great request: he said to God, "I pray 
Thee, show me Thy glory." But God said, "Thou canst not see 
My Face, for there shall no man see Me and live." But Moses 
was to come up the mountain the next day, and bring with him 
two blocks of stone, and then God would let him see as much of 
His glory as he could bear. 

On the next day Moses went up the mountain again, and 
took with him the two tables of stone. And the Lord came down 
in the cloud; and Moses was in the cleft of the rock, where he 
could see a small part of the glory, and hear the Lord's Voice pro- 

106 



THE GIVING OF THE LAW. 107 

claim before him, "The Lord, The Lord God, merciful and grac- 
ious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth." Then 
indeed Moses bowed his head and worshipped. No man ever came 
so close to God as Moses, with whom God spoke face to face, as 
a man speaketh to his friend. 

Moses stayed forty days and forty nights up in the mountain. 
And God again wrote the Commandments upon the two tables of 




MOSES BRINGING THE NEW TABLES OF THE LAW.— Ex. 34 : 29-32. 

stone, and granted the Israelites to try again to keep them. When 

Moses came down from being in converse with God, the glory was 

still about his face. It was all shining like the sun, and was so 

bright that the Israelites could not fix their eyes on it; and he 

was obliged to put a veil over his face, because they could not bear 

to look at it. Was ever living man so favored, and brought into 

such glory? 

QUESTIONS. 

1. "What wicked tiling had the Israelites done? 2. Who prayed for their for- 
giveness? 3. Where did Moses go to pray for their forgiveness? 4. Who forgave 
them? 5. What did Moses venture to ask God to show him? 6. But what can 




108 THE GIVING OF THE LAW. 

no one do? 7. Where was Moses placed? 8. What passed by? 9* What voice 

did he hear? 10. How was Moses more honored than any man? 11, How long 

did he stay in the mountain? 12. What did God give him again? 13. How did 

his face look when he came down? 14. What did he do to hide his face? 15. 
How came his face to be so glorious? 

SECOND READING. 

" Ye shall walk after the Lord your God, and fear him. " — Deut. 13 : ^. 

HEN the Israelites came into the good land where 
they were going, they were to be very careful not 
to learn to worship idols. For idols were no gods 
at all — only wood and stone — and could not hear 
them pray, nor give them what they wanted. 
Besides, the people round them had very frightful 
ways of trying to please their false gods. They had one called 
Moloch, made of brass, and they used to offer poor little children 
up in sacrifice to him, and make a noise with drums and trumpets, 
that no one might hear their cries. There was another god called 
Baal, to whom they set up great images, and feasted in his honor ; 
and a goddess, whom they called the queen of heaven, of Ash- 
toreth. Women used to offer cakes to her, and dance in honor of 
her, for they thought she sent the moon to shine on them. 

Now, the Israelites were not to worship any of these false 
gods. They were to remember how they heard the Only True God 
speaking to them out of the cloud upon the mountain, and telling 
them, "I am the Lord thy God: thou shalt have no other gods 
but Me." And God told them that if they would worship Him and 
serve Him, all should go well with them, and they should be happy 
and blessed. But if they went after these false idols, all would 
go ill with them, and there would be only sorrow and misery. 

QUESTIONS. 

1. Say the First Commandment. 2. Say the Second. 3. What three idols did 
the people of the country worship ? 4. What did they do in honor of Moloch ? 
5. What did they do in honor of Baal ? 6. What did they call Ashtoreth ? 7. 



THE GIVING OF THE LAW. 



109 



ways. 



What did they think she sent them? 8. Who made the moon ? 9. What would 
happen if the children of Israel worshipped God? 10. What would happen if 
they worshipped idols? 

THIRD READING. 

" It is a people that do err in their heart, and they have not known My 
Psalm 95 : 10. 

FTER the Commandments were given the Israelites went 
on their journey. The Ark, or chest, where the Com- 
mandments on their two tables of stone were kept, was 
carried before them ; and God still showed that He was 
with them, for He made a pillar of cloud by day and of 
fire by night go along with them, and rest on it. 
When they came near the land of Canaan, twelve men were 





THE SPIES RETURNING FROM CANAAN.-Num. 13 : 24-26. 

sent on to see it. They came back, bringing such a great bunch of 
grapes that two had to carry it between them on a pole ! But they 
said that the land was full of strong cities, and very strong men, 
and they should never be able to win it, but would all be killed. 



110 THE GIVING OF THE LAW. 

Only two men, Joshua and Caleb, recollected that there could be 
no fear, for God had promised to save them and bring them in. 
The others all cried, and said they would go back to Egypt, and 
threw stones at Moses and Aaron when they wanted to quiet them. 
Then God showed His glory, and would have cut them all 
off in a moment if Moses had not prayed for them. But He said 
none of those who had said they would not go into the good land 
should go. They were to stay forty years longer in the dismal 
wilderness, till all the grown-up men, except Joshua and Caleb, 
should be dead, and their children be grown up in their stead. 
Then their children, who had learned to trust God and do as He 
bade, should be the ones to go in and live in the promised land. 

QUESTIONS. 

1. How did the Israelites know which way to go in the wilderness ? 2. What 
was the ark? 3. What was in it? 4. How did God show them His Presence? 
5. Whom did Moses send to look at the land ? 6. What did these men bring 
back? 7. But what did they say of the country? 8. Who were afraid? 9. 
Why was it wrong to be afraid? 10. Who only were afraid? 11. What were 
the people ready to do? 12. How were they to be punished? 13. How long 
were they to stay in the wilderness? 14. Who would die? 15. Who would 
grow up to go in ? 16. Who were the two good brave men? 17. What was 
promised to Joshua and Caleb ? 




TABLE OF SHEW-BREAD ARK GOLDEN CANDLESTICK 



Sixteenth Sunba^- 



THE DEATH OF MOSES. 

FIRST READING. 

" They angered Him also at the waters of strife. "- 

^ffc^O^n r-" ^■•■■■11. ^Q 



-IW//1 ./tftf .- #& 



^ ., v>xvs/>sX> 




^TI^FTER all the forty years in the wilder- 



ness, the children of Israel were quite 
close to their home in the promised 
land. There was only the river Jordan 
between them and the hills and valleys 
there. But Moses was not to go with 
them. Once when the people were cry- 
ing out for more water, and God told 
him to command the stream to come 
out of the rock, Moses was so hot with 
anger that he did not attend. He said, 
"Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch 
you water out of this rock?" And he 
struck the rock with his rod, instead 
of speaking to it. 

The water came out as it had done before; but Moses had 
been so hasty that he had not thought how to obey God exactly, 
and so he was not to be allowed to lead the people in as a great 
warrior, lest he should fail again. God was not angry with him, 
but had forgiven him ; only he had his punishment because he had 
done wrong. 

Joshua was to lead the people, instead of Moses. So before 

in 



112 THE DEATH OF MOSES. 

Moses was taken away, he called Joshua and all the chief men of 
each tribe, and put them in mind of all that God had done for 
them, and warned them very solemnly, that if they broke their 
promise and did not keep the Commandments, God would punish 
them — first a little, and then more and more, and would even 




MOSES GIVING HIS CHARGE TO JOSHUA.— Num. 27 : 22, 23. 

cast them out of the good land at last. For, mind, God always 
keeps His promises; and as surely as He gives the good all that 
is best for them, so surely He will punish those who turn from 
Him. 

QUESTIONS. 

1. Where were the Israelites? 2. How long had their journey lasted? 3. 
Where were they going? 4. What lay between them and the land of Canaan? 
5. Who had led them? 6. But what one thing had Moses done? 7. What was 
he not to do ? 8. Who was to lead them in? 9. What did Moses tell the Israel- 
ites they must be careful to do? 10. What had they promised to keep? 11. 
What would happen if they broke the promise? 12. What would happen if they 
kept the promise? 13. What promises have we made? 



THE DEATH OF MOSES. 




MOSES VIEWING THE PROMISED LAND.— Deut. 34 : 4- 




THE DEATH OF MOSES.— Deut. 34 : 5, 6. 



«-B S. 



113 



114 



THE DEATH OF MOSES. 




SECOND READING 

So Moses the servant of the Lord died." — Deuteronomy 34- : 5. 

T was not God's will that Moses should lead the Israelites 

into the promised land, but he was to die on the east 

side of the river Jordan ; and so he would have his rest 

above instead of in the land of promise. 

But first God told him he might see the land. So 

he went up into a very high hill : and there God made 

him able to see all the home of his people — the snowy hill of Her- 

mon, and Mount Lebanon where the cedar trees grow, and the 

hills and valleys where Abraham had wandered and Isaac and 

Jacob had lived, and which he had hoped for all his life ; and green 

fields, and corn-fields, and vineyards, on to the great blue sea 

stretching out to the westward. 

That was where his people were to live; but there was a 

better home for Moses. Nobody saw him any more after he went 

up into the mountain. There he died, and the Lord buried him, 

and no one knows of his grave — only the children of Israel wept 

and mourned for him. 

QUESTIONS. 

1. Where had the Israelites come ? 2. Who had led them? 3. But where 
was Moses not to go ? 4. But what did God allow him to see ? 5. Where was 
he to go? 6. What did God show him there? 7. What kind of place was it? 
8. Where had he brought the people from? 9. Who was to lead them in? 10. 
What was to happen to Moses? 11. Did any one ever see him again? 12. 
What does no one know? 13. Why do we think so much of Moses? 14. 
Where did he speak with God? 15. Was he not the greatest man of all in the 
Old Testament. 




THE DEATH OF MOSES. 



115 




THIRD READING. 

" Be strong and of good courage." — Joshua 1 : 6 

FTER Moses had gone out of sight on the mountain, God 
Himself told Joshua that Moses was dead, and that he 
must lead the children of Israel into the good land 
God had promised them. Moses had laid his hands- on 
Joshua's head, and God's Holy Spirit had come to help 
him to see what was right, and to lead the people. He 
must be strong and brave, and do all that God commanded, and 
then he would be quite sure to be able to drive away all the strange 
people out of the land, and to make a home for the people in the 
land that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, had loved so well. 

All the people promised they would do as Joshua bade them. 
So he was their captain instead of Moses. 

QUESTIONS. 

1. Who was the old leader of the children of Israel ? 2. Where had Moses led 
them from? 3. Where were they going? 4. Where did Moses go? 5. What be- 
came of Moses on the mountain ? 6. Whom did God make captain instead of 
Moses? 7. What did God tell Joshua? 8. What did God promise him? 9. 
What is the way to be helped by God? 10. What were the Israelites to be 
helped to do? 11. Who were to be driven away ? 12. Why did the children 
of Israel wish to live in the land of Canaan? 13. What had God promised 
Abraham? 14. And does God always keep his promises? 




Seventeenth £unba\>. 



you 



ISRAEL IN BATTLE. 

FIRST READING. 

" Ye go over Jordan, and dwell in the land which the Lord your God giveth 
"—Deut. 12: 10. 




FTER the children of Israel had been 
forty years living in the wilderness, 
God led them into the beautiful land He 
had promised them. But before they 
could come in they had to get across a 
river — a deep river, with rocks on each 
side, and a stony bottom to it, and the 
water running very fast indeed. The 
name of the river was Jordan. There 
was no bridges to go over, and no boat 
to row them across ; and not only all the 
strong men, but all the women and little 
children, had to get over it ! 

But nobody need be afraid when 
God is helping him. God told them what to do. The priests, who 
were like clergymen to them, were to take the ark — that is, the 
chest where the two tables of the Ten Commandments were kept — 
and were to walk down into the river, without being afraid. And 
they were brave men; they believed what God told them, and 
went down into the swift stream in no fear of being drowned. 
And behold, as soon as their feet touched the water it stopped 
flowing, and stood still. No more water came down, and all the 

116 



ISRAEL IN BATTLE. 



117 



hosts of the children of Israel went straight over the bottom of 
the river with dry feet. 

The priests stood up in the middle all the time the others 
were going over, and when everyone was safe on the other side 
they came after them ; and by-and-by the river came rushing down 
again in its own place, for it was God who had commanded it to 
stop short, and make a dry place for His people to pass over. And 
so they came into the land of Canaan that He had promised them 
so long. 




CARRYING THE ARK OVER JORDAN.— Josh. 3 : 17. 

QUESTIONS. 

1. How long did the children of Israel stay in the wilderness? 2. Where 
were they going? 3. What had they to eat? 4. What had they to drink? 5- 
What had God given them on Mount Sinai? 6. What were the Ten Command- 
ments written on? 7. Where were the two stones put? 8. Who carried this 
ark? 9. What had the Israelites to go over? 10. What was the name of the 
river? 11. How do we cross rivers? 12. But had they a bridge or a boat? 
13. Who was taking care of them? 14. What did God tell the priests to do? 
15. Were the priests afraid to go into the river? 16. Why not? 17. What 
happened when the priest's feet touched the water? 



118 



ISRAEL IN BATTLE. 






~^^ 



Jericho 




SECOND READING. 

■" By faith the walls of Jericho fell down." — Hebrew* 11 : 80. 

FTER the Israelites had come into the land of Canaan, 
there was a strong walled city before them, and its 
name was Jericho. They could not go any further till 
they had taken the city. But God was going to show 
that He fought for them. So He told them not to fight, 
but that every day, for a whole week, the priests should take the 
Ark of the Covenant on their shoulders and walk around the out- 
side of the walls of the town. 





ISRAEL IN BATTLE. 119 

Seven priests were to go in front, blowing on trumpets made 
of rams' horns ; but nobody else was to make any noise. So they 
did one day, and nothing happened. Joshua bade them do it the 
next day. Perhaps some of the Israelites wondered and were 
impatient, but they had to go on the next day still ; and after that 
the Ark was carried round once every day for a whole week. 




THE ANGEL APPEARING TO JOSHUA.- Josh. 5 : 13, 14. 

On the seventh day, Joshua told the priests that God would 

have them go round not once but seven times. And so they did ; 

and then, at last, on the seventh day, Joshua said, "Shout." The 

whole of the people shouted, and the priests blew their trumpets, 

and then — oh, great wonders ! — the walls of Jericho fell down flat, 

and the people went in and took the city. So the Lord fought 

for Israel. 

QUESTIONS. 

1. Where were the Israelites now? 2. Who was their leader? 3. What city 
were they come to ? 4. What did they want to do ? 5. Were they to fight ? 6. 
But what was to he carried round? 7. What was the Ark ? 8. What was in it? 
9. Who carried the Ark ? 10. Who went in front of them ? 11 . How many days 



120 ISRAEL IN BATTLE. 

did they go on? 12. How many times did they carry the Ark round first? 13. 
How often on the seventh day? 14. What were the priests to do? 15. What 
were the people to do? 16. What happened then? 17. Who had conquered 
Jericho ? 18. What was God giving the Israelites? 

THIRD READING. 

" As for me and my house, we will serve the lord. " — Joshua 2£ •' 15. 

r„ WcC\ HIS morning you heard how God gave the children of 
Israel victory over Jericho. After that He gave 
them more victories. None of the heathen people 
could stand before them. They took their towns, and 
drove the heathen out, and had the fields and gardens 
and houses for their own. Then Joshua was to divide the land 





FALLING OF THE WALLS OF JERICHO.-Josh. 6 : 20. 

among them, and fix what cities each tribe should have for its own. 
All the chief men of each tribe came to him, and the Lord 
taught him how to fix the places for them to dwell in. The chil- 
dren of the good Joseph had the very best lot of all, as his father 



ISRAEL IN BATTLE. 




JOSHUA CAPTURING THE CITY OF AI.— Josh. 8 : 18, 19. 




JOSHUA COMMANDING THE SUN TO STAND STILL.— Josh. 10 : 12, 13. 



121 



122 ISRAEL IN BATTLE. 

Jacob had wished. It was just in the middle of the country, and 
was full of beautiful corn land. Two tribes and a-half lived on 
the other side of the river Jordan, on the edge of the desert, but 
where there was fine grass for their cattle. The tribe of Judah 
had a very hilly, rocky part of the country; but they loved it, 
because it was where Abraham had lived and now lay buried. 
And up all the hills they planted vines, where fine large grapes 




DIVIDING THE LAND AMONG THE TRIBES.-Josh. 13 : 6, 7. 

grew; and in the valleys were plenty of corn-fields. All over the 
country, people had each man his own house, with his vine and 
his fig-tree to shelter it, and olive-trees in his garden, and a field 
to grow corn in, and hill-sides near, where he might keep his 
cows, goats, and sheep. The rocks and the hollow trees were 
full of wild bees' nests; so that indeed they found it, as Moses 
had told them, a land of corn and wine — a land that flowed with 
milk and honey ; and they were very glad to be there, and to rest 
after their long wandering in the wilderness. 

After they had had a quiet rest, their first sorrow came. 



ISRAEL IN BATTLE, 123 

It was that their brave leader Joshua had grown old, and felt 
himself near his death. So he called all the chief men together, 
and told them over again how much God had done for them; 
and that if they would serve Him and keep His Commandments, 
all would go well with them. "As for me and my house," he said, 
"we will serve the Lord." And all the people promised too. They 
said they would serve the Lord, and would not go after other 
gods, but would keep His Commandments. 

QUESTIONS. 

1. Where were the children of Israel now? 2. Who had promised the land to 
them? 3. Who was leading them? 4. Whom did they drive out? 5. Who 
had the country then ? 6. How was it settled where they were to live? 7. Who 
had the best part? 8. What had Joseph done that was good? 9. Who went 
beyond the Jordan? 10. What part did Judah have ? 11. What grows there? 
12. What choice plants grew in the land? 13. What sort of place had they been 
told it would be? 14. Who was grown old? 15. What did Joshua tell the 
Israelites? 16. What was the way for them to be happy? 



M^*^?^k 





SOUTH-EAST VIEW OF THE TABERNACLE. 



Bfobteentb £unba\>. 



THE JUDGES OF ISRAEL 

FIRST READING. 

"The journey that thou takest shall not be for thine honor. " — Judges £ : 9. 

^^■^iipF '" <fl^ HEN the Israelites had come to live in the 
-^M^I^^K/^ beautiful land that God had promised 
^^H^^sP^^p- them, they ought to have loved and served 
iifcali\ i^^^^^^^ Him, and thanked Him for all His good- 
~^^^^^^^^^^ ness. But no! They liked worshipping 
*^^|jBJ llfsil^ false gods; and they made idols to pray 

^ --^^ ^^E^ a^^P^ to, cut out of wood and stone; and they 

learnt wicked ways. 
Then God was angry with them; and He punished them by 
sending cruel nations to conquer them, to burn their houses, to 
steal their children, and drive away their cattle. Then they 
would be sorry, and pray to God again; and He had pity, and 
sent some brave man to defend them. 

To-day we hear how sadly they were used by a fierce man 
named Sisera, who had nine hundred war chariots of iron to go 
into battle with. His people used to shoot at the Israelites at the 
wells when they came to draw water; and nobody dared to go 
along the high-roads, but only through the paths, for fear of 

being killed. 

QUESTIONS. 

1. How ought the Israelites to have behaved? 2. What had God given them? 
3. Whom should they have worshipped ? 4. But what did they worship ? 5. 
How did God punish them? 6. What was the name of the cruel man who ill- 
used them? 7. How many chariots had Sisera? 

124 



THE JUDGES OF ISRAEL. 



125 



SECOND READING. 

"The Lord shall sell Sisera into the hand of a woman." — Judges £: 9. 

T last God spake to a good brave woman named Deborah, 
and told her to send for a man named Barak, who 
should lead the Israelites to fight with Sisera. She 
sent for Barak, and told him what God had said. But 
Barak was afraid to go alone. He said he must have 

Deborah with him. He ought to have known that, if God sent 

him, he was sure to be safe and to succeed. 





SISERA SLAIN BY JAEL.— Judges 4 : 22. 

Deborah told him that since he wished it she would go with 
him, but that the journey should not be to his honor, for the Lord 
would sell Sisera into the hand of a woman. And it turned out 
as Deborah said. Barak won a great battle, and drove the 
enemies away, so that they did not hurt the children of Israel 
again for forty years. But he did not meet with Sisera in the 
battle, nor get the honor of killing him. 



126 THE JUDGES OF ISRAEL 

Sisera fled out of the battle, and was killed after all by a 
woman, whose name was Jael. Barak lost all the honor, because 
he would not do just as he was told, but was afraid without 
Deborah, just as if God could not help him better than Deborah 
could. 

This morning's lesson told how Deborah and Barak con- 
quered the cruel Sisera. This evening's lesson is the song that 
Deborah made to thank God for having given her the victory, 

and saved His people. 

QUESTIONS. 

1. Who was the holy woman that God raised up ? 2. For whom did Deborah 
call? 3. What was Barak to do? 4. Who did Barak say must come with him? 
5. Why was this wrong of Barak? 6. What happened in the fight? 7. Did 
Barak kill Sisera? 8. Who did kill Sisera? 9. Why was not Barak allowed to 
kill Sisera? 10. Whom ought he to have trusted to? 11. Who will always help 
us if we are not afraid to do as we are told ? 

THIRD READING. 

" They chose new gods ; then was war in the gates." — Judges 5 : 8. 

HE Israelites never kept long from sinning and setting 
up idols; and, by-and-by, God let a set of robbers, 
called Midianites, come in and burn their crops and 
houses, drive away their cattle, and steal their chil- 
dren for slaves. 

Then the Israelites were sorry, and prayed to 
God to save them. And God had pity on them, and sent His angel 
to a man named Gideon, to tell him that he was to fight for the 
Israelites. 

A great many men came to Gideon ; but the Israelites were 
to be shown that it was as easy for God to save them with few 
men as with many. So He bade Gideon send home all but three 
hundred men. And Gideon believed, and sent them home, and 
kept only the three hundred. 

Then at night he took these men, and gave them each a 




THE JUDGES OF [SRAEL. 127 

trumpet, and an earthen pitcher, with a lamp inside the pitcher, 
so that the light could not be seen. He took a hundred with him, 
and sent the other two hundreds another way, creeping quietly 
along till they came to the place where the Midianites had set up 
their tents, and were all lying asleep among the cattle they had 
stolen. 

There they lay, and never heard Gideon and his men coming 
till they were close to the camp, the three parties on three sides. 




GIDEON'S OFFERING BURNT BY FIRE FROM THE ROCK. -Judges 6 : 21. 

Then, all of a sudden, everyone of the Israelites broke his pitcher 
and let his lamp shine, and blew his trumpet, and shouted, "The 
sword of the Lord and of Gideon!" 

The Midianites were awakened out of their sleep to see the 
lamps on three sides of them in the dark, and hear the trumpets 
and the cries. They were very much frightened, and quite wild 
with fear. They all began to beat down one another, for they did 
not know friends from enemies. A great many were killed, and 
the rest fled away, leaving all that they had stolen behind them. 



128 THE JUDGES OF ISRAEL. 

And so God delivered the Israelites from the Midianites by the 
hand of Gideon, and gave them peace again as long as they would 
serve the Lord. 




GIDEON'S VICTORY OVER THE MIDIANITES.— Judges 7 : 19-21. 

QUESTIONS. 
1. What made the Israelites meet with troubles? 2. Whom ought they to have 
worshipped ? 3. But whom did they worship ? 4. What happened then ? 5. 
Who were the next people that ill-used them ? 6. W^hat did they do when they 
were punished? 7. Whom did God send to save them? 8. How many men was 
Gideon to have with him? 9. What did all the men carry? 10. Where did they 
go ? 11. Into how many parties were they divided ? 12. What did the Midianites 
hear? 13. What did they see? 14. What did they begin to do? 15. What 
became of those that were not killed? 16. Who had made Gideon able to beat 
them with so few men ? 




THE JUDGES OF ISRAEL. 




JEPHTHAH MEETING HIS DAUGHTER.— Judges n : 35- 




SAMSON SLAYING A LION —Judges 14 : 6. 



y-B.s. 



129 



Bineteentb Sunba^ 



SAMUEL 

FIRST READING. 

"Samuel ministered before the Lord, being a child. — 1 Ham. 2 : 18. 

HERE 



THERE was a very good 
woman named Hannah, 
and she grieved because she 
had no children. Whenever she 
came with her husband to God's 
holy place, she used to kneel, 
and pray with all her heart to 
God that He would let her have 
a son ; and she promised that if 
she had one, she would lend him 
to the Lord all the days of his 
life. 

At last God granted her 
prayer, and gave her a little 
son, and she named him Samuel. 
She was very glad when he was born, and she thanked God, and 
sang a hymn of praise for her dear little child. But she had 
promised to lend him to the Lord all his life; and she kept her 
promise. 

As soon as little Samuel was old enough to be without her, 
she took him to the holy place, that was instead of a church, and 
gave him to wait upon the Lord. He lived with the High Priest, 
whose name was Eli, and was taught by him. 

130 




YOUNG SAMUEL BROUGHT TO ELJ. 



SAMUEL. 131 

Eli was a very old man, and his sons used to behave very 
badly; but Samuel was always good and obedient to him, and 
used to wait upon him, and help him when he served God in the 
holy place. Samuel wore a little white linen dress like the priests ; 
and when his mother came to see him, she used to bring him a 
little coat. She had five more children afterwards, three sons 
and two daughters. 




HANNAH'S PRAYER.— i Sam. i : n. 

If you listen in the afternoon, you will hear how God spoke 
to Samuel whilst he was still a little boy ; and I am sure you like 
to think of the little child in his white dress, ministering before 
God in His beautiful holy place. But only think. You can be 
like Samuel. Your father and mother lent you to God for all 
your life, when they took you to the font, and made you God's 
child; and though you live at home, you go to church, and can 
serve God there, if you kneel and stand and sit quietly at the 
proper times, mind the prayers, and repeat the Amens, and the 



132 SAMUEL. 

verses you know, in their right places. And if you are obedient, 
and try to be good, God will love you as He loved Samuel. 

QUESTIONS. . 
1. What was the name of the woman we hear of to-day? 2. What did she 
wish for? 3. What did she do to obtain her wish? 4. What did God give her? 
5. What was her son's name ? 6. What did she promise ? 7. .Where did Hannah 
bring her little son? 8. Who took care of Samuel? 9. Who was Eli? 10. 
How did Samuel behave ? 11. What did Samuel wear ? 12. What had Samuel 
to do? 13. When were you lent to God? 14. Whose child are you? 15. 
How can you be like Samuel when you go to church? 16. How can you be like 
him at home? 17. Who will bless you if you try to be good? 18. What kind 
of children does God love ? 

SECOND READING. 

" Speak, Lord ; for Thy servant heareth. " — 1 Sam. 3 : 9. 

ANNAH brought her little son Samuel, to be brought 
up in the holy place by the High Priest Eli. 

Samuel was very good and holy, and God 
blessed him and loved him. One night, when every- 
one was gone to bed, but the lamp in the holy place 
was not yet gone out, Samuel heard a voice calling to him, 
"Samuel !" He sprang up at once, for he thought that Eli had 
called him, and he ran to Eli and said, "Here I am, for thou didst 
call me." But Eli answered, "I called not, my son; lie down 
again;" and Samuel went back to his bed. 

Then again came the voice calling to him, "Samuel!" and 
again he thought it was Eli's call. He was not lazy, or fretful 
at being roused out of his sleep, but he ran .at once to Eli, and 
again said, "Here I am, for thou didst call me." But Eli sent 
him back to his bed again; and there again he heard the call, 
"Samuel!" 

Patiently he once more rose and came to the old man, but 
this time Eli knew that it must have been no other than God's 




t 



own voice speaking to the child. So he 
bade Samuel go back, and next time 
he heard the voice, to say, "Speak, 
Lord; for Thy servant heareth." 

And so Samuel did. Again his 
name was called, and he made 
answer, "Speak; for Thy servant 
heareth/ ' 

And God spoke to him in the still 
night, and told him to give Eli a fresh 
warning of the sad things that were 
coming on him and on his sons. Sam- 
uel was forced to tell Eli all in the 
morning, sad and mournful as it was. 
He was afraid and grieved to have 
such things to say, but he 
told the truth, and Eli was 
too good a man to be angry 
with him, and only said, 
"It is the Lord : let Him do 
what s e e m e t h 
Him good." 




|;* 



«/ 




134 SAMUEL. 

And, after that, God often made His will known to Samuel, 
and blessed him, and all Israel knew that S.amuel was God's own 
prophet. Think of the great honor and blessing of having God 
so often speaking to him ! But we have that blessing too. God 
is nearer to a little Christian child than He was to Samuel ; for 
the Holy Spirit speaks in a Christian child's heart, and tells him 
to be good and dutiful, and to think of God, and say his prayers 
with all his heart. And that is better than even being a prophet 




GOD TELLS SAMUEL OF DESTRUCTION OF ELI'S HOUSE.— i Sam. 3: 11. 

like Samuel. Only we must take great care to attend to that 
voice ; or it will leave off, and then we shall get worse and worse, 
like those bad sons of poor old Eli. 

QUESTIONS. 

1. Who was Samuel ? 2. Where was he brought up ? 3. What did his mother 
bring him every year? 4. Who was the High Priest? 5. What did Samuel 
hear? 6. Who did he think was calling? 7. What did he do? 8. What did 
Eli say? 9. How often did this happen? 10. Was Samuel cross at being called 
so often? 11. Who was honoring him? 12. What did Eli perceive at last? 13. 




SAMUEL. 135 

What did he tell Samuel to answer? 14. What did he hear again? 15. How 
did he answer? 16. What did the voice tell him? 17. Whose voice speaks to 
us? 18. How does the Holy Spirit speak to us? 19. What must we take care 
to do? 

THIRD READING. 

" The Ark of God is taken. — Samuel 4- • 17. 

OD helped the Israelites again and again, but they 
would not leave off their wickedness, and at last He 
punished them still more. There came up a nation 
to make war upon them, fiercer than any before, 
called the Philistines. Then the Israelites fancied 
that if they took the Ark of the Covenant out into 
the battle with them they would get the victory, as they had done 
when Joshua conquered the land. 

But God had never bidden them take the Ark. He had 
commanded that it should stay in its place at Shiloh. They did 
not heed this, but took it out into the camp, and all the people 
shouted for joy when it was brought, with the two priests, Hophni 
and Phinehas, Eli's sons, to take care of it. When the Philistines 
heard the shout, they said that the gods of Israel were come, and 
that they must fight all the more bravely. And they did. 

God would not help His people because of their self-will, so 
He let them be beaten by the Philistines, : and Hophni and Phine- 
has were killed, and the holy Ark of God was taken by these 
heathens. And when poor old Eli, the High Priest, heard the 
sad news, he was so much shocked, that he fell down backwards 
and broke his neck and died. 

God still shewed His power, for when the Philistines put 
the Ark into the temple of one of their false gods the idol fell 
down and was broken; and wherever it was taken the people 
fell sick, till at last they sent it back to the Israelites: but it 



136 SAMUEL. 

never came back to Shiloh. It was hidden in a lonely house in 
the woods; and the Philistines were strong and the Israelites 
were very weak and miserable, because they had been so very 
disobedient. 




THE DEATH OF ELL— i Sam. 4 : 17, 18. 

QUESTIONS. 

1. What people came to fight with the Israelites ? 2. Why did God let any one 
hurt the Israelites? 3. What did the Israelites think would help them to fight? 
4. What was in the Ark of the Covenant? 5. Where was it kept? 6. Ought 
they to have taken it ? 7. Why not ? 8. Why did they take it ? 9. Did it give 
them the victory? 10. Why not? 11. Who were killed? 12. Who was the 
father of Hophni and Phinehas? 13. What happened to Eli when he heard the 
Ark was taken? 14. Why did God allow it to be taken? 15. Did it come back 
again? 16. Why did not the Philistines keep it ? 17. What happened to their 
idol? 18. What happened to themselves? 19. Where had it been before ? 20. 
Did it ever come back to Shiloh? 21. Where was it kept? 



twentieth 5unba& 



J^P 



KING SAUL 

FIRST READING. 

"Behold, the Lord hath set a king over you." — 1 Samuel 12: 13. 

HERE was a young man named Saul, who 
was very tall and strong. His father kept 
a number of asses; for, in the land of 
Israel, people rode on asses instead 
of horses. One day all the asses were 
lost, and Saul and one of the serv- 
ants went out to look for them. They 
went a long, long way, and never 
found the asses; and at night they 
came to a city, and there they found 
Samuel. 
Samuel was an old man now, and grey-headed ; and he ruled 
over Israel, and everyone honored and loved him, because he was 
so good and just. S-aul was very much surprised when the great 
and good Samuel met him, and led him into the house, and put 
him in the chief place, and gave him a choice of meat that had 
been set apart for him. Saul could not think how Samuel knew 
anything about him. And he was still more surprised the next 
morning, for then Stemuel came out of the city with him, and 
sent the servant on before. Then Samuel took some oil, and 
poured it on SauPs head, which was what was called anointing, 
and told him that God had chosen him to be king over all the 
people of Israel. 

137 




138 KING SAUL. 

Was not this wonderful news for him? And you see, God 
had led him to Samuel to be made king, though he so little guessed 
what was going to happen when he set out to look for the asses. 
And God still makes everything happen, even the least thing; 
it is all for our good, even though we do not quite see why. 

So Saul was the first King of Israel ; but he was only to be 
prosperous as long as he would take care to obey God. 




SAMUEL ANOINTING SAUL.-i Sam. 10: I. 
QUESTIONS. 

1. Who was the first KiDg of Israel? 2. Did Saul expect to be a king? 3. 
What did he set out from home to do ? 4. Where did he come ? 5. Who was in 
the city? 6. What did you hear about Samuel last Sunday? 7. What age was 
Samuel now ? 8. What did he give Saul ? 9. What surprised Saul ? 10. What 
did Samuel do to him the next day? 11. What is anointing? • 12. What was he 
to be? 13. But what must he do if he would get on well ? 




KING SAUL. 139 

SECOND READING. 

"There is no restraint to the Lord to save by many or by few. " — 1 Sam. H. : 6. 

AUL was the first king of Israel. But just at first, when 
he was appointed king, the people were in great dis- 
tress; for their enemies the Philistines had overrun 
the whole land, and held all the strong places, and 
.c*r*^ were very hard to the Israelites. They would not even 
^~ let a smith live among the Israelites, that they might 
not be able to have swords or spears made to use in fighting, and 
the Israelites had to go into the Philistines' country to get their 
axes and ploughshares made, and to sharpen the goads, or long 
sticks tipped with iron that they drove the oxen with. 
THE PEOPLE MUCH FRIGHTENED. 
Nobody had a sword or spear but Saul and his good son 
Jonathan; all the rest of the people had nothing better to fight 
with than axes and mattocks and goads, and they were very 
much frightened, and came trembling after their new king. 

But Jonathan trusted in God, and he and one young man 
set out creeping along a rugged steep path to see what the enemy 
were about, and by-and-by they came below the high rocky hill 
where the Philistines were encamped. 

One of the Philistines looked out and said, "Behold, the 
Hebrews come forth out of the holes where they had hid them- 
selves ;" and he called out to Jonathan, "Come up to us, and we 
will show you a thing." 

Now, Jonathan knew, as he said to his friend, that the 
Lord can save as easily by few men as by many, so he was not 
afraid; and he and the other young man climbed up on their 
hands and knees till they came out among all the Philistine 
soldiers. Then they began to fight at once, and the Philistines 
were so surprised at these two men beginning to fight with them, 



140 KING SAUL. 

that they most likely thought all the others were behind, and they 
began to run away. 

The people in Saul's camp heard all the noise, and went out 
to look, and saw the Philistines running away, so they went after 
them, and killed many, and drove them out of the land, and got 
free of them once more. 

So God blessed and helped the good Jonathan, because he 
trusted in Him ; and Saul became a great king. 

QUESTIONS. 

1. Who was the first king of Israel? 2. Who made Saul king? 3. Who was 
SauFs son ? 4. Who were the enemies of the Israelites ? 5. Why would not the 
Philistines let the Israelites have any smiths ? 6. What is a smith ? 7. What 
tools does a smith make? 8. How did the Israelites get their iron tools ? 9. 
Who were the only ones that had swords and spears ? 10. Why were the people 
afraid? 11. Who crept out to see the Philistines ? 12. What did Jonathan know 
that God could do ? 13. Where did he climb up? 14. What happened ? 15. 
What became of the Philistines ? 16. W^ho became king ? 







ANCIENT SHOES. 



KING SAUL. 



141 



THIRD READING. 

" Intreat me not to leave thee/' — Ruth 1 : 16. 

NE fine summer day, a good man named Boaz went 
out into his corn-fields where his reapers were cutting- 
down the wheat. "The Lord be with you," he said. 
"The Lord bless thee," they answered. Then he saw 
a young woman gleaning, whom he had never seen 
before. 
He asked who she was. He heard that her name was Ruth, 





RUTH AND NAOMI.— Ruth i : 16. 

and she was a stranger and a widow. Then why had she come 
there? Because she could not bear to leave her husband's mother, 
Naomi, alone in her old age. She knew that if she kept with 
Naomi she must be poor and forlorn, and away from all her 
friends; but she loved her mother-in-law so much, that she said, 
"Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after 
thee: * * * where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people 



142 KING SAUL. 

shall be my people, and thy God my God: where thou diest, will 
I die, and there will I be buried." 

When Boaz knew that Ruth was poor and a stranger, he 
told his reapers to drop some handfuls of corn in her way; and 
he told Ruth to keep among his young maidens, so that nobody 
might be rude to her, and that she might rest and eat among 
them when they rested in the heat of the day. 

Ruth carried home plenty of corn to her mother-in-law. And 




RUTH GLEANING IN THE FIELD OF BOAZ.— Ruth 2 : 5. 

soon it was found out that Boaz was their nearest friend ; and he 

married Ruth, and Naomi lived with them; and Ruth was no 

longer poor and a stranger, but was happy as a wife and mother 

in her beautiful home. 

QUESTIONS. 

1. What was the name of the mother of whom we hear to-day ? 2. Whose 
mother was she? 3. But who was good to her? 4. What did Ruth do for 
Naomi? 5. Where did she go to glean? 6. Wlio saw her? 7. What did Boaz 
bid his men do ? 8. How did Boaz speak to his men ? 9. How did they answer? 
10. How was he kind to Ruth? 11. What did she find out? 12. Whom did 
Ruth marry? 13. What became of Naomi? 14. Why was Ruth so happy? 



Uwent£=first 5un5a\>. 




L A 



THE REIGN OF SAUL 

FIRST READING. 

" Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, He hath also rejected thee 
from being king. — 1 Sentinel 15: 23. 

AST Sunday you heard how God 
chose Saul to be king of Israel, and 
promised to help him if he would obey 
in all that God commanded him. 

Now, there were some cruel rob- 
bers that lived in the mountains, and 
used to fall upon peaceful people and 
kill them; and take their cows and 
sheep and camels and asses, and 
gold and silver, and all they had. 
So God sent a message by Samuel 
to Saul and his brave men, to 
destroy these cruel people; but God said that none of all their 
prey and riches, that had been gained by such wicked ways, was 
to be kept by His people ; it was all to be made away with ; they 
were to have none of it for themselves. 

They won the battle, and killed the robbers, as they were 
sure to do when God helped them; but then when they saw such 
fine cattle and choice things, they would not obey God, but went 
and took it all for themselves. They left only the poor and mean 
that they did not care for, and helped themselves to all they liked. 
And then, when Samuel came to meet them, Saul made as if 

143 



144 



THE REIGN OF SAUL. 



he had done just what he was told, and said, "I have obeyed the 
voice of the Lord." But Samuel said, "What meaneth then this 
bleating of the sheep in mine ears, and the lowing of oxen which 
I hear?" 

Saul wanted to make excuses; but it was not the first time 
he had been disobedient; and he was only frightened, he was 
not really sorry; so Samuel was obliged to tell him, "Because 




SAUL TEARING THE ROBE OF SAMUEL.— i Sam. 15 : 27, 28. 

thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, He hath also rejected 
thee from being king." 

Saul would not do as he was told, and so God punished him. 
Remember that. Your parents and teachers, or nurses, give 
you orders; and you have to mind them exactly — not only to do 
what you like, and miss out the rest. Saul did what he liked 
when he fought the robbers, but he would not obey when he took 
the spoil. Then God was angry with him. Do not you be like 
him ; but obey when you do not like, as well as when you do like. 



THE REIGN OF SAUL. 



145 



QUESTIONS. 
1. What is the Fifth Commandment? 2. What must we always do? 3. Who 
did we hear of to-day who did not do as he was told ? 4. What was Saul told to 
do? 5. Who told him? 6. Who was Samuel? 7. Who was Saul ? 8. What 
was Saul told not to do ? 9. How far did he obey ? 10. In what did he disobey ? 
11. Why was it wrong of Saul to keep the robbers' cattle and sheep? 12. What 
did he say when Samuel came? 13. Was this true? 14. What did Samuel hear 
that showed that this was false? 15. Whom had Saul disobeyed? 16. How was 
Saul to be punished? 17. Why was Saul not to keep the kingdom? 




DAVID ANOINTED BY SAMUEL.— i Sam. 16 : n, 12. 



SECOND READING. 

" I have found David my servant ; with my holy oil have I anointed 
him."— Psalm SO : 20. 

HE hills that lie above Bethlehem have green slopes 
where the sheep feed. There, one day, a flock was 
feeding, and a boy with blue eyes and shining hair 
watched them, and perhaps sung as he watched. 
He was the youngest of eight brothers, and all the 
rest had gone down to a great feast ; for Samuel, the 
great Prophet, was come to visit their father. 

10-B S. 






A KG here 
all Ihy 

children p 




est must stay out 
with the sheep. 
No one would 
want him. But see a mes- 
senger is coming up the hill. 
He calls — David is wanted. 
The Prophet has called for him. 
So the boy is obedient, and rises up, to run down 
the hill at his father's call. Perhaps he stopped 
to wash his face in the clear well of Bethlehem 
before he went up to the place of the feast, the 
same place where Boaz had brought his bride 
Ruth, for Jesse, David's father was Ruth's 
grandson. 

There stood the Prophet, with his long white 
hair flowing down ; and as soon as young David 
came in, he stepped forward with a horn in his 
hand, and sweet-smelling oil of olives mixed 
with incense was flowing upon David's golden 
hair. He was the Anointed of the Lord. In 
time to come he would be king, but he must wait 
long and patiently first. 

Yes. Each of his seven brothers had passed 
before Samuel — tall goodly men — but God had 
spoken to Samuel, and forbidden him to choose 
them ; for Samuel could only see their fine hand- 
some faces and figures, but God looked at their 
hearts, and knew they were proud men, who 



146 



THE REIGN OF SAUL. 147 

would soon have been as fierce and headstrong as Saul himself. 
So he had sent Samuel to choose the youngest and least thought-of 
of all Jesse's sons, and anoint him to be king of Israel. Yes ; and 
above all, to be the forefather of our Blessed Lord Jesus Christ. 

QUESTIONS. 

1. Who was sent to Bethlehem? 2. Who used to live at Bethlehem? 3. What 
was Samuel to do? 4. Whose son was he to anoint? 5. What does anointing 
mean ? 6. What was anointing to mark him for? 7. How many sons had Jesse ? 
8. How many came to the feast? 9. Which did not come? 10. Where was 
David? 11. Were his brothers anointed? 12. Why not? 13. Who saw their 
hearts? 14. Who was sent for? 15. What did Samuel do? 16. Why was 
Saul to be punished? 17. Why was David chosen? 18. Was he to begin to 
reign at once? 19. How was he to wait? 

THIRD READING. 

" I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel." 
— 1 Samuel 17 : ^5. 

J\ HOUGH King Saul had beaten the Philistines, still 
they used to come back again and try to conquer the 
Israelites. 

Once they came with an army, and Saul had an 
army too. The Israelites were on one hill and the 
Philistines on another hill, and there was a valley 
between. Then out in front of the Philistines' camp came a 
giant named Goliath; for there really were giants then, and 
Goliath had three brothers as tall as himself. 

Goliath was nearly twice as tall as any man we ever saw, 
and he had a helmet on his head, and armour on his breast, and 
an enormous spear, and a shield, and a man carried a shield before 
him. He stood out, and called to know if any Israelite would 
fight with him. Then if Goliath conquered the Israelite, the 
Philistines should be the lords over the Israelites; but if an 
Israelite conquered Goliath, then the Israelites should be lords 
over the Philistines. 




148 



THE REIGN OF SAUL. 



But nobody felt bold or strong enough to go out to fight 
with this great man; and day after day he came and walked up 
and down, and laughed the Israelites to scorn for not daring 
to come out, they who called themselves the servants of God. 

At last a young shepherd boy came to the camp. He had 
three brothers among Saul's soldiers, and his father had sent 
him to take them some loaves of bread, and see how they were. 
The shepherd boy's name was David. When he came he saw the 




DAVID SLAYING GOLIATH.— i Sam. 17 : 50, 51. 

proud Goliath walking up and down boasting against the Israel- 
ites; he asked the soldiers about him, and was so eager that at 
last they brought him to the king; and Saul asked him how it 
was that he, who was only a youth, could dare to think of fighting 
with a man of war like Goliath. 

David answered that when he was keeping his flocks a lion 
and a bear had come and tried to take away a lamb. And God 
had made him strong to kill both the lion and the bear, and saved 



THE REIGN OF SAUL. 149 

him from danger; and he trusted that in like manner God would 
help him if he fought with the giant. 

So Saul wanted to dress David in his own armour, but it 
was too large for him, and he would not use it. All he did was to 
choose five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them into his 
shepherd's bag. And he took his sling, a long strip of leather, 
the ends of which he used to hold in his hand to throw stones 
farther with, when he wanted to drive beasts away from his flock. 




SAUL CASTING HIS JAVELIN AT DAVID.-i Sam. 19: 9, 10. 

And with only his sling and his stone he went out to meet the 
giant. 

Goliath was fierce and angry when he saw such a boy, and 
he thought it was only laughing at him to send no better warrior 
to fight with him. But David said, "Thou comest to me with a 
sword and with a spear and with a shield : but I come to thee 
in the name of the Lord of hosts, * * * whom thou hast 
defied." 

Then David took one of his stones and slung it out of his 



THE REIGN OF SAUL. 




THE PARTING OF DAVID AND JONATHAN.— i Sam, 20 : 42. 




DAVID AND ABIGAIL.— 1 Sam. 25 : 32, 33. 



150 



THE REIGN OF SAUL. 151 

sling. It struck the very middle of the giant's forehead, and 
went deep in, and down fell Goliath. All his great strength 
was of no use to him, and David ran and stood upon him, and 
drew out his great sword from his side, and cut off his head. 

All the other Philistines fled away, and David gave thanks 
to God for his great victory. 

By-and-by David came to be king instead of Saul; and he 
loved God, and trusted in Him so faithfully that God Himself 
called him a man after His own heart. 

QUESTIONS. 

1. Who were the enemies of the Israelites? 2. Who was the giant? 3. What 
is a giant? 4. What did Goliath wear? 5. What did he call the Israelites to 
do? 6. Who was the only one that would come out to fight? 7. What was 
David ? 8. Why was not David afraid ? 9. What had David killed before ? 1 0. 
What did David take with him? 11. What was a sling? 12. What did David 
say? 13. Who helped David? 14. How did David attack Goliath? 15. What 
happened to Goliath ? 16. What did David do to him then ? 17. What became 
of the other Philistines ? 18. What did David come to be ? 19. What did God 
call David? 20. Why did God love David? 




^went^seconb Sunba^ 




KING DAVID REIGNING. 

FIRST READING. 

" How are the mighty fallen !" — 2 Samuel 1 : 19. 

HE last thing that has to be told about Saul 
is very sad. You know he would not do as 
God bade him, but chose to go his own way. 
Then God forsook him, and left him to grow 
worse and worse. Then his enemies, the 
Philistines, came up against him, and his 
army came together on the hills to meet 
them. 

But God was not with Saul, so his men 
could not fight, and he was beaten back 
step by step up into his own hills, close to his home; and there, 
when he found he could go no further, and that the Philistines 
would soon be upon him, he did the saddest thing of all — he threw 
himself on his own sword, that they might not take him alive. 

He did not quite kill himself; and when a young robber came 
by, trying to get garments and weapons from the dead bodies, 
the unhappy king begged for a death-blow as he lay. The robber 
gave him the last stroke, and then took the crown from his helmet, 
and his bracelets, and brought them to David, to show that he 
was dead. 

The robber thought he should have a reward, but David 
put him to death for having dared to strike the king : and David 
grieved and mourned for Saul, who had been a great and noble 
king once. But he had come to this miserable end because he 
would have his own way and will. 

152 



KING DAVID REIGNING. 




THE DEATH OF SAUL.— i Sam. 31: 4. 




DAVID ANOINTED KING OVER ISRAEL.-2 Sam. 2 : 4. 



153 



154 KING DAVID REIGNING. 

Then, when Saul was killed, David was anointed to be king; 
and he was a very good man, and served God with all his heart. 
So God blessed him, and made him great and powerful. 

QUESTIONS. 

1. Who was Saul? 2. What was Saul's fault? 3. Who came out to fight 
against Saul? 4. Where was he driven ? 5. Who came after him? 6. What 
dreadful thing did he do? 7. Who killed him entirely? 8. What did the robber 
take? 9. To whom did he carry Saul's crown? 10. What did David do to 
him? 11. Why? 12. Who was to be king now ? 13. Why did Saul come to 
such an end ? 14. Whose way should he have followed ? 15. Can anyone go 
on well who is self-willed? 16. Who was king after Saul? 

SECOND READING. 

" I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me." — 2 Samuel 12 : 23. 

ING David had a little son, a baby, whom he loved very 
much ; and this child fell sick. While it was sick King 
David grieved for it, and prayed that it might be made 
well. But it was not God's will to make the little boy 
well, and he died. And then David was patient, and 
knew it was God's will; and he said, "I shall go to him, but he 
shall not return to me." 

For David meant that one day he should die, and then his 
soul would go to be with his little son's soul in the happy place 
of rest; and by-and-by their bodies will rise again out of their 
graves, and be joined to their souls again, and live for ever and 
ever. 

King David used to sing the Psalms to praise God; indeed, 
he first made most of them; and in one he says, "My flesh also 
shall rest in hope." That was, the hope that he should rise again 
from the dead, and always live in God's holy home in heaven. 
Heaven is the happy place where we all hope to meet and live 
by-and-by, and that is the comfort that good Christians have when 
death takes away friends whom they love. 




KING DAVID REIGNING. 



155 



QUESTIONS. 

1. What was David's sorrow? 2. What did he do when his little boy was ill? 
3. Did the little boy get better? 4. What became of him? 5. How did David 
bear his death? 6. What did he say? 7. Where did he hope to go to his little 
son? 8. When would his soul go to his child's soul? 9. When will their bodies 
rise ? 10. What does David say of his flesh ? 11. What is his flesh ? 12. What 
hope does he rest in ? 13. When will our flesh rest ? 14. What do we hope to 
do? 15. Where in the Belief do you say we hope to rise from the dead? 16. 
What people will be happy then? 17. What are David's songs called? 




DAVID MOURNS THE DEATH OF HIS CHILD.— 2 Sam. 12 : 18. 



THIRD READING. 

" O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son !" — 2 Samuel 19 : £• 

OOD King David had more sons besides the little one 
who died. One was named Absalom. He was a 
very fine, handsome young man, and had most beau- 
tiful hair ; but he was fierce and proud, and wanted 
to be king. 

And when David was old, this wicked Absalom 
gathered men together, and drove his father away, that he might 




156 



KING DAVID REIGNING. 



be king instead. Good King David had to go away, weeping and 
barefoot, down the steep rocky pass, for fear of his wicked son; 
and cruel men called him names, and threw stones at him as he 
went, while Absalom was made to reign in his father's palace, 
and did all he pleased there. But God will not let wicked men 
prosper; and all David's faithful old soldiers came together to 
help him. They had a great battle with Absalom and his men; 
and Absalom was beaten, and fled away on a mule. 

But when he came into a wood, his thick hair was caught 




SHIMEI CASTING STONES AT DAVID.— 2 Sam. 16 : 5, 6. 

in an oak tree, and he could not get it loose; and his mule went 
away, and left him still with his hair caught in the tree. 

Now, though Absalom had been so wicked, his father loved 
him still, and had begged all his men to take care not to hurt the 
young man Absalom. So when one of the men saw Absalom 
caught by the hair in a tree he would not hurt him, and only 
went and told Absalom's cousin, Joab, who was the captain of 
David's army. 





Joab had no pity; he thought Absalom richly 

deserved to die, and he was afraid the king would 

pardon him; so he went at once, with three darts 

in his hand, and killed Absalom as he hung in the 

tree. 

King David was grieved to the heart. No 
words can say how sad he was to think that his 
son had died in his sin, and never asked his par- 
don. He wept, and cried aloud, "0 my son 
Absalom, my son, my son Absalom ! would God I 






L 
@ 




15( 



158 . RING DAVID REIGNING. 

had died for thee, Absalom, my son, my son !" It was not like 
his grief for the innocent little baby he had lost before; for 
Absalom had been a bad man, and for that there is no comfort. 

And when all the people came joyfully to bring King David 
home to his palace, to be king again, still his heart mourned for 
his son Absalom. 




THE DEATH OF ABSALOM.— 2 Sam. 18 : 9. 

QUESTIONS. 

1. What is the Fifth Commandment? 2. Do you hear of any one to-day who 
broke the Fifth Commandment? 3. How did Absalom break it? 4. Who was 
Absalom's father? 5. How had David to go away? 6. What did cruel men 
do? 7. Who came to help David? 8. What did he charge them? 9. Who 
won the battle? 10. What happened to Absalom? 11. Who saw him there? 
12. Whom did the man tell? 13. Why did Joab kill Absalom? 14. Did 
Absalom deserve it? 15. How did his father behave? 16. What did he cry 
out? 17. Why was he more sorry than for his baby son? 18. What is sadder 
than even dying? 19. How should you behave to your parents? 



TUwent^tbiub 5unba\>- 



PREPARING FOR THE TEMPLE. 

FIRST READING. 

" Nay ; but I will surely buy it of thee at a price." — 2 Samuel %£ : 2£. 

HEN David was king his people did wrong 
again; and there came a plague upon 
them, so that a great number of them died 
all through the land of Israel. 

David and his priests, and all the good 
men, fasted and prayed, and entreated that 
God would turn His anger away. And while 
they were praying, David saw the Destroying 
Angel standing with his drawn sword over Jeru- 
salem; but the plague had not begun there. Then 
David prayed the more ; and God made known to him 
that he must offer up a sacrifice on the threshing- 
floor of Oman, just by Jerusalem, and then the plague should be 
stopped. 

A threshing-floor was a flat rocky place on the top of a hill, 
where the sheaves of corn were laid out, and oxen drew boards, 
with the under side covered with spikes, to knock the grain out 
of the ears. Oman's threshing-floor was upon Mount Moriah, 
where Isaac had been so nearly sacrificed. He was threshing 
wheat on it when David came and desired to buy it for the 
sacrifice. 

Oman was a good man, and said he would give the whole 
place to the king. But David said, "I will not offer unto my God 
of that which doth cost me nothing." So he bought the place of 
Oman, the oxen, and the threshing tools; and the sacrifice was 

159 




J/ / 





The King _ 

SAID- 



made to show that death must be for sin. 
Then God pardoned Israel, and the 
plague was stopped. We should remem- 
ber that our offerings to God are only 
worthy if they cost us something. He 
does not want the things themselves, but 
He does value the love that gives them. 

QUESTIONS. 

1 . What is a threshing-floor? 2. Whose thresh- 
ing-floor have we heard of? 3. Where was it? 4. 
What had happened on Mount Moriah ? 5. Whose 
son was Isaac? 6. Was he sacrificed? 7. Why 
not? 8. What town was near? 9. Who bought 
the threshing-floor? 10. Why? 11. What is a 
plague? 12. Why was the plague sent? 13. What 
did David see? 14. What was he bidden to do? 
15. What did Oman want to do? 16. What did 
David say ? 17. So what ought we to give to God ? 




. I DWELL. IN A 
H0U5E OF CEDAR 



^T"\\\^K^Yv^ Oto\*\M^\\JLTW ^\TV\U CVECTNN&. 



160 




THE BRINGING UP OF THE ARK 




PREPARING FOR THE TEMPLE. 161 

SECOND READING. 

"His seed also will I make to endure for ever." — Psalm 89 : <29 

OU know the two Tables of the Commandments were 
kept in the Ark of the Covenant ; and when the Israel- 
ites were going about in the wilderness, they had a 
beautiful tent to keep it in. But now they had come 
into the Land of Promise, and had no more journeys 
to make, David wished to build a house, or temple, where the 
Ark might be kept, and to make it beautiful for the glory of God. 
But the Lord had sent a prophet to tell David that he must 
not himself build a house for God, because he had been a man of 
war, and had fought, and shed much blood; but that his son 
Solomon should be a man of rest, and should build the Temple 
for the Lord. 

David did not repine. He thanked God for giving him the 
hope that his son should do this great work; and all the rest of 
his life he was busy getting together gold and silver, brass and 
iron, and beautiful cedar wood, all for the Temple of his God. It 
was to be built on Mount Moriah, on the threshing-floor he had 
bought of Oman, just by the city of Jerusalem, which David 
had conquered from the Jebusites, and made the capital of his 
kingdom. 

QUESTIONS. 

1. What was kept in the Ark of the Covenant? 2. Where was the Ark kept 
at first? 3. What did David want to build? 4. Why was David not allowed 
to build a temple? 5. Did he fret and grieve at being forbidden? 6. Who was 
to build the Temple? 7. What did David get ready? 8. Where was the 
Temple to be? 9. When had he bought it of Oman? 



11-B.S. 



162 



PREPARING FOR THE TEMPLE. 



THIRD READING. 

"All things come to Thee, and of Thine own have we given Thee." — > 
1 Chronicles 29: 1£. 

AVID had grown to be a very old man, near to his 
death; but, before he died, he called all the princes 
of his people together at Jerusalem, and asked them 
all to bring offerings to help to build a beautiful 
house, to be a Temple to the Lord their God. So all 
the people brought what precious things they could, 





DAVIDS THREE MIGHTY MEN.— 2 Sam. 23 : 16, 17. 

to add to what the king had prepared ; and a great quantity was 
ready — all willingly offered. 

Then good King David stood up and made his offering. "All 
things come of Thee," he said, "and of Thine own have we given 
Thee." And he thanked and blessed the Lord God, who had been 
with him all his life ; and he blessed his people Israel, and showed 
them his son Solomon, who was to reign after him; and he gave 



PREPARING FOR THE TEMPLE. 163 

Solomon a charge to build the Temple of the Lord, and bade them 
all serve the Lord with all their might. And the crown was set 
on Solomon's head, and he was king; and David died at a good 
old age. He was the shepherd boy who came to be a king, and 
who first sung so many of the beautiful Psalms that are still our 
best words for praising God. 




SOLOMON ANOINTED KING.— i Kings i : 39. 

QUESTIONS. 

1. Who was David? 2. Who was his son? 3. What was Solomon to do? 
4. What had David got ready for Solomon? 5. What did he ask his princes to 
bring? 7. What for? 8. When did David meet all his people? 9. Who was 
to be king? 10. Why was David glad? 11. What did he say to God? 12. 
Whose are all things? 13. What charge did David give? 14. What had David 
been before he was king? 15. What did David write? 16. What are the 
Psalms ? 



ftwent£*fourtb Sunba^. 



SOLOMON IN ALL HIS GLORY.- 

FIRST READING. 

" Thine, O Lord, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the vic- 
tory, and the majesty." — 1 Chron. 29: 11. 

HE last thing King David did was 
to have his son, young Solomon, 
anointed to reign, and then to show 
him to the people, and charge them to 
help him build the Temple for the 
Lord God. For he said Solomon was 
still very young, and the work was 
very great; so he begged the people 
of the tribes to bring their offerings ; 
and so they did. 

They brought gold, silver, brass, 
iron, and beautiful stones, or the 
wood of oaks and cedars, according 
to what they had or could give; and 
when David saw it he was very 
happy and glad, and offered it up to 
God, and prayed that God would give 
unto his son Solomon a perfect heart, 

that he might serve God and keep His laws. 

Then there was a great feast all round Mount Sion 5 all the 

people eating, and drinking, and rejoicing, and praising God, 

who had delivered them from all their enemies. 

164 




0LI©[JuD©Kl 




SOLOMON IN ALL HIS GLORY. 165 

QUESTIONS. 
1. What did David ask of his people? 2. What did they bring him? 3. 
What were all these things for? 4. Who was to build the Temple? 5. Why 
was not David himself allowed to build it? 6. Yet what did he get together for 
it ? 7. Why was he happy ? 8. What did he ask God ? 9. What great rejoic- 
ing was there? 10. Why was everything happy now with the nation? 

SECOND READING. 

" Give me now wisdom and knowledge." — 2 Chron. 1 : 10. 

HEN King David died, Solomon was still almost a 

boy. But God spake to him in a dream by night, 

and said, "Ask what I shall give thee." Then 

Solomon said he was but young, and knew not 

how to rule over this great people that God had 

given him ; and therefore he prayed, above all, that 

God would give him a wise and understanding heart. 

And God was pleased with Solomon's choice, and said that 

because he had cared for wisdom most, and had not asked for 

riches, or long life, or to put down his enemies, that therefore, 

besides wisdom, God would give him all the rest — riches, and 

honor, and length of life — and he should be wiser, and greater, 

and richer, than any king ever was before him, or should be 

after him. 

All this was because he had cared so much to have a wise 

and understanding heart to know good and evil. That was first 

with him, and so God gave him all the rest. So it will be with 

all those who seek first of all to be good. God does not make us 

wise all at once like Solomon, but if we care about it, He will help 

us to get wise by little and little if we really try, and then He 

will bless all we do. 

QUESTIONS. 

1. Who was Solomon? 2. Whose son was he? 3, What was he king of ? 
4. How old was he when he began to be king? 5. What did God say to him at 
night? 6. What did Solomon wish for most? 7. What did God give him be- 



166 SOLOMON IN ALL HIS GLORY. 

sides? 8. Why did God give him all these things when he did not ask for 
them? 9. What should we care about most? 10. What will God do for us if 
we care most about goodness? 11. How will He help us to get wise? 12. But 
what must we do ourselves ? 




THE JUDGMENT OF SOLOMON.-i Kings 3 : 26, 27. 



THIRD READING. 

" The wisdom of God was in him, to do judgment. — 1 Kings 3 : 28. 

ERE is a story to show how wise and clever King 
12 Solomon was. One day when he was sitting on his 
throne two women came to him: one with a live 
baby, the other with a dead one, both boys, and just 
of the same age. They said they had been living 
alone together in the same house, each with her little baby, till 
one night one of the women rolled over her child in her sleep and 
smothered it, so that she found it was dead. 

But each woman said it was not her baby but the other's 
that was dead, and that the mother of the dead one had put the 




SOLOMON IN ALL HIS GLORY. 



167 



little corpse down by the other sleeping woman, and taken her 
living child out of her bosom to herself. How was it to be known 
which was right? — for nobody out of the house knew the two 
little ones apart, and each of the women declared that she was 
the mother of the live child, not of the dead. So they came to 
the king to judge between them. 

And what plan could Solomon take to find out the truth? 




THE BUILDING OF SOLOMON'S TEMPLE.— i Kines 6 



: 11-14. 



He sent for the executioner, with a sword, and said that as the 
women could not agree, both the children should be cut in two, 
and each woman should have the two halves. One woman was 
content to have it so, but the other only cried out in grief and 
dread, "0 my lord, give her the living child, and in no wise 
slay it." 

Then Solomon saw in a moment which was full of mother's 
love, and which was full of hatred and jealousy; so he said, "Give 
her the living child, and in no wise slay it: she is the mother 



168 SOLOMON IN ALL HIS GLORY. 

thereof." And so the true loving mother had her child safe and 
well, and the other was disappointed in her spite. 

QUESTIONS. 

1. Who was Solomon? 2. Who came before him? 3. What had happened 
to one baby? 4. What did both the women say ? 5. What had Solomon to de- 
cide? 6. What did he command? 7. Did he really mean to kill the child? 8. 
But what did he want to find out? 9. What did one woman say? 10. What 
did the other woman say? 11, Which was the real mother? 12. What did 
Solomon command? 13. Would not the loving mother rather give the child 
away than have it killed ? 




XTwent^ftftb Sunba^- 



SOLOMON'S FALL 

FIRST READING. 



" All the earth souglit to Solomon, to hear his wisdom, which God had put in 
his heart/' — 1 Kings 10 : ££• 



ING Solomon was the greatest king in 

wisdom and riches who ever lived. He 

had an ivory throne with golden lions 

standing on the steps, and a beautiful 

house lined with sweet cedar-wood. He sent 

ships which brought home gold and silver, and 

apes and peacocks; and it was said that gold 

was as common as silver generally is, and silver 

as common as stones! 

All people honored him, and the Queen of 
Sheba came from her far-off country to see 
him, because of the fame of his greatness. And when she saw 
him she was quite overcome, and said that all she heard was not 
half so grand and glorious as what she saw. Very happy, she 
said, were the people who stood round him and heard the words of 
his wisdom. 

We have the words of his wisdom in the Book of Proverbs 
in the Bible, for his wisdom came from God. And though we 
shall never see his purple robes or his gold and silver, do you 
know what our blessed Saviour said? — "Consider the lilies of the 

169 




170 SOLOMON'S FALL. 

field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: and yet 
I say unto you, that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed 
like one of these." 

The least little flower, if you look well into it, is more beau- 




THE QUEEN OF SHEBA VISITING SOLOMON— i Kings 10 : 6-10, 

tiful than anything King Solomon ever wore, for God made it; 
and he could only put things together that were made already. 



QUESTIONS. 

1. Why was Solomon so rich? 2. Whose son was he? 3. What had he 
built? 4. When he had built the House of God what did he build? 5. What 
sort of throne had he? 6. What were the steps? 7. Who came to see him? 
8. What did she say of him? 9. Where have we got his wisdom? 10. What 
do we call it? 11. What did our blessed Saviour say about him? 12. What 
have we got which are more beautiful than Solomon's robes? 13. Why are 
flowers more beautiful than Solomon's robes? 



SOLOMON'S FALL. 



171 



SECOND READING. 

"Then will I visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with 
stripes." — Psalm 89: 3°2. 

T is very sad to say that as Solomon grew old he left off 

being good. He married a great many wives, and 

brought them from the heathen nations round ; and he 

did not teach them to worship the true God, but let 

^V them worship each in her own way. 

So, out in his gardens, one lady had her idol to 
the moon, and another had hers to the dreadful idol Milcom, and 





IDOLATRY OF SOLOMON. - 1 Kings 11:4. 

so on; and though Solomon knew so much better, even he was 
persuaded to come and pay honor to these idols, just to please 
these women — he, the son of David, whom God had blessed so 
much. 

And what the king did the people were sure to do. So God 
spake to Solomon, and told him that since he had fallen away 



172 SOLOMON'S FALL. 

from the right way, he must be punished, and that ten out of 
the twelve tribes would be taken away and not belong to his 
kingdom. 

It was not to happen in his own time, but in his son's time, 
but it must have been very sad to him to know that his beautiful 
kingdom and great power were to be so lessened, and that his 
son Rehoboam was a very foolish young man, who would spoil 




REVOLT OF THE TRIBES.— i Kings 12 : 16, 17. 

everything. But he was not to lose all, only part, for the sake 
of the holy King David, to whom God had promised that his 
throne should last for ever. 

QUESTIONS. 

What wrong did Solomon do ? 2. Where did his wives come from ? 3. What 
did they want to worship? 4. Did Solomon let them? 5. What did he do him- 
self? 6. Why was this wrong ? 7. What is the First Commandment? 8. What 
did God tell Solomon ? 9. How was he to be punished ? 10. How many tribes 
were to be lost? 11. How many were to be kept? 12. Why were any to be 
left? 13. What had God promised David ? 14. In whose time was the trouble 
to come ? 15. What was the name of Solomon's son ? 



SOLOMON'S FALL. 



173 




THIRD READING. 

"I will take the kingdom out of his son's hand." — 1 Kings 11: 35. 

HERE was a strong brave man of the tribe of Ephraim, 
named Jeroboam, and God sent his prophet to speak 
to him. Jeroboam had a new mantle on, and the 
prophet took it and tore it into twelve pieces, and 
gave Jeroboam ten of them. 

Then the prophet said this was to show how 
God was going to tear away ten tribes from Rehoboam, the grand- 
son of David, and give them to Jeroboam, because Solomon was 
bringing idols in to be worshipped. And he told Jeroboam that 
all should go well with him, and he would be a great king, and 
his sons after him, if he would go on serving the Lord, and the 
Lord only, and would keep from idols. 

QUESTIONS. 
1. What was to be taken from Solomon's son? 2. What was the name of Sol- 
omon's son? 3. Who was to have the tribes? 4. Who told Jeroboam so? 5. 
What sign did the prophet give? 6. What was torn? 7. Of how many tribes 
would Rehoboam be king? 8. Of how many would Jeroboam be king? 9. Why 
were any taken from Rehoboam? 10. Why were any left? 11. What does the 
Second Commandment say ? 12. How long would Jeroboam go on well ? 




1Xwent\vsutb &urtba\\ 




THE KINGDOM GF ISRAEL 

FIRST READING. 

" This thing became a sin." — 1 Kings 12 : 30. 

OLOMON'S son was named Rehoboam. He 

was foolish and hasty ; and when his father's 

wise old men gave him good advice he would 

not listen to them, but only cared for his 

young friends, who were as foolish as himself. 

So when the Israelites came to him to ask 

him not to be hard upon them, and make 

them bring him so much corn and so many sheep, the 

old men told him to answer them kindly and gently, 

but the young men said he had better be fierce and 

sharp. So he followed the young men's advice, and made a very 

unkind answer. 

This made them all so angry that they said they would not 
have him for their king any longer; but they took Jeroboam, a 
brave strong man of the tribe of Ephraim, and made him their 
king. Only two tribes still held steady to Rehoboam. These were 
the tribes of Judah and Benjamin. God left him these, because 
of the promise that King David's sons should go on sitting on his 
throne. But ten of the tribes had made Jeroboam their king; 
so that now there were two kingdoms — a large one called Israel, 
and a small one called Judah. 

This was because Solomon had let his heart turn away from 

174 



THE KINGDOM OF ISRAEL. 175 

God, and had not taken pains to keep his people holy, but had 
cared more for riches, and power, and glory. But Jeroboam did 
not take pains to serve God. He set up two calves, made of gold, 
for the Israelites to worship, instead of going to the Temple. 

QUESTIONS. 
1. Who was Solomon ? 2. Who was his son? 3. Whom did Rehoboam like 
best ? 4. What did his people ask ? 5. What did the old men advise ? 6. What 
did the young men advise? 7. Whose advice did he take? 8. What answer did 
he give? 9. What did the Israelites do ? 10. Whom did they make their king? 
11. How many kingdoms were there? 13. How many tribes made up Israel? 
14. Who was king of Judah? 15. Who was king of Israel? 16. Why did not 
Rehoboam lose all ? 17. What had God promised David ? 18. Why did Eeho- 
boam lose any ? 19. What foolish answer did he make? 20. What idols did he 
set up? 

SECOND READING 

"I may not return with thee, nor go in with thee." — 1 Kings IS: 16. 

T is a sad story that you hear to-day. There was a man 
who was called a prophet, because God spoke to him, 
and used to send him to declare His will to the people. 
Once God called this prophet, and told him to go 
^y to a place called Bethel, where the wicked king of 
Israel, Jeroboam, had set up a golden idol in the shape 
of a calf, and was teaching the people to pray to it, instead of 
going to the Temple at Jerusalem to worship. He was to tell the 
king of his sin, and how his idol should be overthrown and 
destroyed; and when he had done this, he was to come home at 
once, by a different way, and neither eat bread nor drink water, 
but come quickly back. 

The prophet went to Bethel, and he spoke God's words to 
the king boldly; and when the king put out his hand to strike 
him God struck the hand, so that Jeroboam could not draw it 
back till the prophet prayed for him. Then Jeroboam felt God's 
power, and wanted the prophet to come to his palace with him. 




176 THE KINGDOM OF ISRAEL. 

But the prophet said no; for God had commanded him to go 
home at once, without eating or drinking in that wicked place. 
So he set off. 

He had so far done well ; but before he had gone all the way 
he grew tired, and he sat down under an oak. It was a great 
pity that he delayed, for there was a bad man coming after him 
with a lie upon his lips. This man told the prophet that God 
had said he was to come back and eat and drink ; and I am grieved 
to say the prophet listened, and turned back. 

He ought to have known that God would have told him Him- 
self if he was to go back; but he did not think — he did what 
pleased himself, not what pleased God ; and he went back to feast 
with this stranger. But God's anger came upon him. When he 
went back in the evening, a lion came out of the wood and killed 
him. 

The lion did not kill the ass he rode upon, nor tear the body, 
and the ass did not run away from the lion ; but the lion and ass 
both stood by the dead prophet till — who do you think found him? 
The very man who had tempted him to do wrong! Must not 
that have been a terrible sight? 

QUESTIONS. 

1. What had God told the prophet to do? 2. What had He told him not to 
do ? 3. What was the first wrong thing the prophet did ? 4. What harm came 
of his lingering ? 5. How did he disobey? 6. What was his sad end ? 7. Who 
found him lying dead? 8. What were standing by him? 9. Why did he come 
to this sad death ? 10. How did he fall in the way of the wicked man? 11. 
What is the way to fall in with bad people ? 12. Then how should you always 
go on messages, or to school? 13. Is it enough to mind only half what you are 
told? 




THE QUEEN OF SHEBA VISITING SOLOMON 



THE K INC IH)M OF LSRAEL. 



177 



THIRD READING. 

"The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until 
the clay that the Lord sendeth rain upon the earth." — 1 Kings 17 : lip. 

T is very sad to say, but the Israelites went on getting 
more fond of idols, and would not worship God. They 
grew so wicked that at last He punished them, to 
teach them who sent the rain and did them good. 

He would not let it rain for three whole years. 
No rain by day, no dew by night! The corn would 
not grow, the grass dried up, and all the streams were nothing 





ELIJAH FED BY THE RAVENS.— i Kings 17 : 5, 6. 

but stones; so that there was nothing to eat or to drink, and 
everyone was in sad distress. 

There was one good man, a prophet, called Elijah, and God 
took care of him. He sent him to a lonely place, by the side of 
a little mountain stream, where there still was water to drink; 
and every morning and evening there came two ravens, who 

12-B.S. 



178 



THE KINGDOM OF ISRAEL. 



were sent by God, to bring him bread and flesh. That was a 
great miracle, or wonder, which God worked to feed His prophet. 
In time the brook dried up, and then God sent Elijah to 
a town called Zarephath. There Elijah saw a poor woman 
gathering sticks, and he asked her to give him a bit of something 
to eat. But the poor widow woman said she had nothing for 
herself and her son but a handful of meal and a little oil, and she 
was going to make a cake of it, and bake it with a fire of her 




THE WIDOW'S SON RESTORED TO LIFE.-i Kings 17 : 21, 22. 

sticks; and that was the last she could get, so they must die of 
hunger after they had finished. 

But Elijah still told her to make him a little cake first, for 
he said, "Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, The barrel of meal 
shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day 
that the Lord sendeth rain upon the earth." 

And the woman believed him, and gave him a bit of her last 
cake. And it was as he said. There was always meal and oil 
enough to feed them day by day : the widow, and her son, and the 



THE KINGDOM OF ISRAEL. 179 

prophet, went on living on the meal every day, for God fed them. 

At last the child fell sick and died; and his mother grieved 
for him. But Elijah laid the child on his bed, and prayed to God 
to have mercy on the widow: and God had mercy. The little 
child's soul came back, and he was alive again; and Elijah gave 
him to his mother. 

Are not these three great wonders of God's goodness? God 
does not let us see miracles now, as He did in those times, because 
we are taught to believe in Him without them. But He still 
takes care of us. He takes care that if we trust to Him, and 
pray to Him, we shall have our food every day. And if we are 
ready to give what we want ourselves away to one who needs it, 
He will make it up to us, and take care of us all the more. And 
though no one is brought to life now who has died, yet God often 
gives us back our friends when they have been very ill; and we 
know that we shall all rise up from the dead and live with God 
for ever, at a greater call than Elijah's. 

QUESTIONS. 

1. What is a miracle ? 2. How many miracles have you been hearing of? 3 
For whom were they worked ? 4. Who worked them? 5. What were the three 
miracles? 6. Why was it a miracle that the ravens fed Elijah? 7. Why did 
the ravens bring Elijah the food instead of eating it themselves? 8. What was 
the next miracle ? 9. How came the widow always to have enough? 10. How 
did she show that she was worthy to have a wonder worked for her ? 11. Why 
was God pleased with her ? 12. What more did God do for her son ? 13. Who 
prayed for him ? 14. How could you try to be like the good widow? 15. What 
is the way to be helped? 16. What do you ask God to give you every day? 



^went\>-se\>entb £unba\>- 




ELIJAH AND AHAB. 

FIRST READING. 

"The Lord, He is the God ; the Lord, He is the God."— 1 Kings 18: 39. 

OU heard last Sunday how sadly the Israelites 
were behaving when they prayed to a 
golden calf. They had a still worse idol 
afterwards. His name was Baal; and they 
wanted to worship him instead of the true 
God. To-day there is a beautiful chapter 
that I hardly like to put into my own poor 
words. Listen to it well in church, and you will hear how won- 
derful it is. 

There were four hundred prophets, as they called themselves, 
who worshipped Baal, and only one real prophet who worshipped 
the Lord God. This prophet was named Elijah. He called all 
the people to a high mountain, and said they should see who was 
the true God. He said he would build one altar, and that the 
four hundred prophets should build another; they should each 
offer a sacrifice, and each should pray to his god, and the God 
that sent fire to burn the sacrifice would be the true God. 

The prophets of Baal tried first. They built their altar and 
put wood on it, and killed a bullock and cut it up, and they prayed 
to their god Baal to send fire down. But he was no god — he was 
nothing at all; and though they cried and shouted, and leaped 
about, and even cut their own flesh in their rage, not a spark 
of fire came. 

180 



ELIJAH AND AHAB. 181 

Then Elijah made his sacrifice. And he did a strange thing; 
for he had water poured all over it, till all the wood was streaming 
wet — and you know water always put out fire — so how was it 
ever to be burnt? He even made a trench round, and filled that 
with water too. Then he knelt down, and prayed that the Lord 




ELIJAH SLAYING THE PROPHETS OF BAAL.— i Kings iS: 39,40. 

God in heaven would show His power, and make the people know 
that no one else was God. 

And down from heaven came the fire! It was not stopped 
by the water ! No, it dried that up in a moment, and burnt the 
wood, and consumed the sacrifice ! And all the Israelites fell on 
their faces, and cried out, "The Lord, He is the God; the Lord, 
He is the God!" For only the Lord God is Almighty, and can do 
wonders. 

QUESTIONS. 

1. Who is the prophet we read of to-day? 2. What wicked thing were the 
Israelites doing? 3. What is the First Commandment? 4. What was the name 
of the false god? 5. How many prophets were there for Baal? ft. Who only 




182 ELIJAH AND AHAB. 

spoke up for the true God? 7. What did Elijah say they would try? 8. How 
would they know which was the real God? 9. What happened when Baal's peo- 
ple prayed to him? 10. Why did not Baal send them any fire? 11. What did 
Elijah do to his sacrifice? 12. Whom did he pray to? 13. What came down 
from heaven? 14. What became of all the water that Elijah had poured out? 
15. Why did not the water stop the fire? 16. What did all the people cry out? 
17. What word in the Belief means that God can do everything? 

SECOND READING. 

"A still small voice.' ' — 1 Kings 19: 12. 

FTER the Israelites had called out, "The Lord, He is 
the God!" and owned that Baal was nothing but an 
idol, God had mercy on them, and sent them rain 
again; and their famine was over. 

But King Ahab's wife, whose name was Jezebel, 
was a heathen woman, and she would worship Baal, and did not 
choose to believe in the true God. And she was very angry with 
Elijah, and sent men out everywhere to put him to death. Elijah 
was obliged to flee far away for fear of her; and he went out into 
the wilderness, and sat down under a juniper tree; and there 
he was so sad, to think that all he had done was of no use, that 
he requested for himself that he might die, for he could do no 
more good with these wicked people. 

Then he went to sleep; and when he woke an angel was 
by him, with a cake baken on the coals, and a cruse of water; 
and the angel bade him rise and eat, for the journey was too 
great for him. 

It was a great journey, for he was to go all the way to the 
Mount of God, where God had spoken to Moses. And there he 
stood in a cave; and a voice came and asked, "What doest thou 
here, Elijah ?" Then he told how the Israelites had forsaken 
their God, and killed the prophets, and "I, even I only, am left," 
he said; "and they seek my life to take it away." Then God 
showed him His wonders. 



ELIJAH AND AHAB. 183 

First a great strong wind came rushing by — but the Lord 
was not in the wind. Then there was an earthquake, that broke 
the rocks in pieces — but the Lord was not in the earthquake. 
And after the earthquake a fire — but the Lord was not in the 
fire. And after the fire, a still small Voice. 

Then Elijah wrapped his face in his mantle, and stood in 

the entrance of the cave, to hear what God would say to him. 

And God told him he was not all alone, as he thought; for there 

were many good men still lefi who had never bowed the knee 

to Baal, nor deserted the God of their fathers. And God sent 

him back to return to his work among the people of Israel, and 

not to think that there was no hope because he could not see it; 

nor to think he was left alone because he had no friends near 

him that he could see. 

QUESTIONS. 

1. How long was there no rain in the land of Israel? 2. Why was there no 
rain ? 3. Who told the Israelites of their wickedness ? 4. What wonder showed 
who was the real God? 5. What did the Israelites cry out? 6. Who was the 
Israelite king? 7. Who was Allah's wicked wife? 8. What did she want to do 
to Elijah? 9. Where did Elijah flee to? 10. Who came to feed him? 11. 
Where did he go? 12. What had been given on the Mount of God? 13. What 
was said to Elijah? 14, Why was Elijah so sad? 

THIRD READING. 

" He laid him down upon his bed, and turned away his face, and would eat 
no bread. " — 1 Kings 21 : 4- 

OU learn in the Catechism to say, "Thou shalt not 

covet." Coveting means wishing very much for what 

we ought not to have; and God tells us not to covet, 

because all faults begin in bad wishes. Now you shall 

hear what shocking sin one wish led to. 

King Ahab had a grand garden, and he wanted to make it 

bigger; but the next piece of ground belonged to a poor man 

named Naboth. Ahab asked Naboth to sell him his ground; but 




184 ELIJAH AND AHAB. 

Naboth said it had come to him from his father, and must go to 
his son, and he could not sell it. Then Ahab coveted, and lay on 
his bed and would not eat — caring for nothing but the bit of 
ground he could not get. 

Now Ahab had a cruel, wicked wife; and when she saw 
her husband grieving about Naboth's ground she ,was determined 
to get it for him. So she had two very bad men set on to say that 
poor Naboth had been wicked, and must be put to death. 

They bore false witness against him, and broke the Ninth 
Commandment when they did so; and then, worst of all, this 
poor innocent man was really put to death for the crime he had 
never done — and that was murder, which breaks the Sixth Com- 
mandment. Then Jezebel called Ahab, and told him he might 
go and take possession of the ground that he wanted : there was 
nobody to hinder him. But he never had any pleasure in it. 

When he went to it, there stood God's great Prophet Elijah, 

ready to meet him. And Elijah told him how very angry God 

was with him and with Jezebel, and that they should be terribly 

punished for their cruel behavior to this innocent man. Then 

Ahab was sorry, and wept and grieved for the cruel thing that 

had been done ; but all his sorrow could not bring Naboth back to 

life again. And oh ! how grieved he must have been that he had 

not kept his wishes in order! — for almost all our faults begin 

in a wish. 

QUESTIONS. 

1. "Who is the king we hear of to-day ? 2. Who is the bad queen? 3. Who 
is the poor man ? 4. What did Ahab want ? 5. Why should not Naboth let 
Ahab have the grouud? 6. How did Ahab behave when he could not get the 
ground? 7. Who said he should have it? 8. How did Jezebel get Naboth 
put to death? 9. Who met Ahab ? 10. What did Elijah tell him ? 11. What 
had Ahab done wrong? 12. What Commandment tells you not to covet? 13. 
What is coveting? 14. What Commandment tells us not to tell untrue things of 
other people? 15. Say the Ninth Commandment. 16. What Commandment was 
broken by putting Naboth to death ? 17. How many Commandments were broken ? 



{Tvvent^-eiobtb Simba^- 



ELIJAH AND ELISHA. 

FIRST READING. 

A certain man drew a bow at a venture." — 1 Kings 22 : 34- 

HEN Ahab had let Naboth be 
stoned that he might get his 
vineyard, the Prophet Elijah said 
that Ahab would be greatly pun- 
ished, and that where the dogs 
licked up Naboth's blood there they 
would lick up Ahab's ; and that cruel 
Jezebel should be eaten up by dogs, 
so that no one could say, This is 
Jezebel. 

Some time after, Ahab went 
out to fight a battle. He was afraid, 
because his conscience troubled him, and he thought he should be 
safer if he did not go out to fight dressed like a king, for he knew 
the enemies would all come and try to kill him if they saw him in 
his robes. But he dressed only like a common captain, and thought 
they would take no notice, and he would be safe. He forgot that 
if the enemy did not know him God knew him, and that God could 
see it was Ahab just as well in his common dress as in his robes 
and crown. 

So a man drew his bow, not shooting at anybody in partic- 
ular; but God's will guided the arrow, and it wounded Ahab so 

185 




186 



ELIJAH AND ELISHA. 



badly that he desired to be taken out of the battle, and he died 
before he could be carried home. His chariot was full of his blood, 
and his servants washed it in the place where Naboth had been 
stoned to death ; and the wild hungry dogs came and licked up the 
blood, just as they had licked up Naboth's blood. So you see 
no hiding could get away from God. 




THE DEATH OF KING AHAB.- i Kings 22 : 34. 

QUESTIONS. 

1. What did God say was to happen to Ahab ? 2. What was to happen to 
Jezebel? 3. What did Ahab go out to do? 4. How did he dress himself? 5. 
Why did not Ahab dress like a king? 6. From whom did he want to hide? 
7. But who knew him all the time? 8. How was he wounded? 9. Did the man 
mean to hit Ahab? 10. How came Ahab to be hit? 11. What was done with 
him? 12. Where was his chariot washed? 13. What licked up his blood? 
14. Who had said the dogs should lick his blood? 15. Why? 16. Why did 
Ahab let Naboth be killed? 17. Who was angry with Ahab? 18. Can we hide 
from God's anger? 



ELIJAH AND ELISHA. 



187 



SECOND READING. 

"My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof." — 
Kings 2: 12. 

HE time had come when God was about to call away 
His great Prophet Elijah. And it was not as other 
men are taken from this earth, by dying and being 
buried, while their souls go away to the God who 
gave them. No; Elijah went out and visited all the 
schools, where young men and boys were being 





ELIJAH TAKEN UP INTO HEAVEN.— 2 Kings 2 : 11. 

trained to sing God's praise ; and Elisha, who was his scholar and 
his friend, went with him. 

When they came to the bank of the river Jordan, Elijah took 
his mantle and rolled it up, and struck the waters of the stream 
with it, and they parted, and left a way for Elijah and Elisha 
to go over dry-footed. Then Elijah said, "Ask what I shall do 
for thee, before I be taken away from thee." And Elisha said, 
"I pray thee, let a double portion of thy Spirit be upon me." 



188 ELIJAH AND ELISHA. 

And while they were talking together, there came a great 
wonder from heaven : a chariot and horses, all bright and glowing 
like fire; and Elijah was parted from his friend, and went up 
into heaven upon a whirlwind. Elisha stood watching, crying 
out, "My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horse- 
men thereof;" as if he knew not what he said. . And Elijah, as 
he went up, threw down his mantle; and Elisha took it up and 
went his way, much wondering, and full of awe. 

And when he came to the river Jordan, he took the mantle, 
rolled up, and smote the waters, and they parted again, so that 
he went through with dry feet. And when the young men in 
the school of the prophets met him, they saw in his face and 
manner that the same Spirit which had been on Elijah was on 
him, and they bowed themselves before him. 

Only one other man was ever taken up to heaven without 
dying, and he was Enoch, who lived before the Flood. Our 
blessed Lord ascended into Heaven ; but He went up, He was not 
taken, and it was after He had died and risen again. 

QUESTIONS. 

1. Who was Elijah? 2. Who was his friend? 3. Where did they go to- 
gether? 4. How did they get across the river? 5. What did Elisha ask? 6. 
What appeared to them? 7. What happened to Elijah? 8. What did he let 
fall? 9. Who was to be prophet in his stead? 10. What did Elisha cry out ? 
11. What did he do with Elijah's mantle? 12. What other man was taken up 
like this. 13. When did Enoch live ? 14. Who only ascended into heaven ? 

THIRD READING. 

"It is well." — 2 lungs 4: 26. 

LISHA was the prophet for Israel instead of Elijah. 
Now there was a good woman who saw him go by, and 
she said she would make a little room for him by the 
wall of her house, and put in a bed, and a table, and 
a stool, and a lamp, so that he could go and rest there 




ELIJAH AND ELISHA. 189 

whenever he pleased. When Elisha saw it he was pleased, and 
told her that if she wished for anything very much he would pray 
God to give it to her. She answered that she dwelt among her 
own people, and wanted ior nothing. But she had no child; and 
Elisha prayed for her, and God blessed her for her kindness to 
His servant, and by-and-by she had a son. 

But when he had grown in.o a boy, he went into the fields 
with his father to see the harvest, and the heat of the sun struck 




THE SHUNAMITE'S SON RESTORED.— 2 Kings 4 : 36, 37- 

on his head so that he cried out, "My head, my head!" And his 
father said, "Carry him to his mother." But she could do him 
no good ; he sat on her knees till noon, and then died. 

She did not stop to weep ; she had her ass saddled, and rode 
away to seek for the man of God. And by-and-by she met him 
on the way, and she knelt down before him and held him by his 
feet. Then he knew how it was, and he bade his servant Gehazi 
take his staff, and hasten on, and never rest till he had laid it 
on the child's face. Gehazi did so, but there was no voice nor 



190 



ELIJAH AND ELISHA. 



any answer. So he went back and met his master, and said, 
"The child is not awaked." 

Then Elisha came in, and found the child lying dead on his 
own bed. Then he stretched himself on the boy, and prayed to 
God that the soul might come back to the little one. And at last 
God granted the prayer, and the child's flesh grew warm; and 
Elisha prayed again, and the child sneezed seven times as 
his breath came back, and he opened his eyes ! Then the mother 
was called, and the child was given back to her; and she bowed 
herself to the ground, and gave thanks to God and His prophet. 

QUESTIONS. 

1. Who was prophet instead of Elijah? 2. What had become of Elijah? 3, 
Who made a room for Elisha? 4. What did she put in it? 5. What joy did 
God give to her ? 6. What great grief? 7. What caused the boy's death ? 8. 
What did his mother do ? 9. What order did Elisha give ? 10. Could Gehazi 
do anything. 11. What did Elisha do? 12. How did God show His mercy? 
13. How did the mother thank God ? 




TLvQcnt^ninth £unba\\ 



ELISHA'S MIRACLES. 

FIRST READING. 

"Wash and be clean."— 2 Kings 5 : 13. 

HERE was a poor little girl who was 

stolen away from her own home in 

Israel by Syrian soldiers, and carried 

far from her mother and friends, to be 

a slave. It must have been very sad 

and lonely ; but God lets nothing happen 

but for good, and so this poor little 

captive maid did great good. Her 

master was named Naaman. He was 

the captain of the army — brave and 

strong; but he fell ill of a disease that no doctor 

could cure, and which would go on getting worse 

till he would die of it. 

The little maid was sorry for him ; and though 
she was all alone in a heathen land, she had not forgotten about 
God and His prophets, and she told her mistress that at home, in 
Israel, there was a prophet who could cure her master by God's 
power. 

So Naaman set out in his chariot, and came to the prophet's 
door. He thought the prophet would come out, and strike his 
hand over the place, and cure him directly — all the more because 
he was such a great man. But, instead of that, the prophet sent 
out word to him that he was to wash seven times in the River 
Jordan, and he would be well. 

191 




192 ELISITA'S MIRACLES. 

This made Naaman very angry. He thought the bathing 
in Jordan would do no good, and that the prophet made light of 
him ; and he turned and went away in a rage. Then his servants 
persuaded him. They said, "My father, if the prophet had bid 
thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? how 
much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean?" 

Naaman was wise enough to listen to them. He did go and 
wash in the River Jordan, as the prophet bade him; and God 
gave the water the power to make him quite well again. Then 
he came back and thanked the prophet, and said he would never 
pray to any god again but to the One true God, who had healed 
him. 

So you see the little maid did great good to her master, both 
to his body and his soul, because she was good, and remembered 
her God, even when she was far away from home. 

QUESTIONS. 

1. Who is the great captain we hear of to-day? 2. What was the matter with 
him? 3. Whom did Naaman go to to cure him? 4. From whom did he hear 
about the prophet ? 5. How came the little maid into Naaman's house ? 6. 
Who made the prophet able to cure people ? 7. Had Naaman been brought up 
to worship God? 8. What did he expect the prophet to do to him? 9. What 
did the prophet tell him to do? 10. Why did he not like this? 11. Who per- 
suaded him to try? 12. What did they say he would have been ready to do? 
13. Don't we sometimes wish to do something graud,, rather than just what we 
are told? 14. But what have we got to do? 15. What came of Naaman doing 
as he was told? 1G. To whom did Naaman say he should always pray? 





ELISHA'S MIRACLES. 193 

SECOND READING. 

"They that be with us are more than they that be with them." — 2 Kings 6: 16. 

HE great enemies of the kings of Israel were the 
Syrians, who lived at Damascus; but whenever the 
Syrians made a plan to come and fight with the 
Israelites, God made it known to the Prophet Elisha ; 
and he told King Joram, so that the Israelite soldiers 
were always ready before hand to fight with the 
Syrians. The king of Syria began to think one of his own men 
must tell Joram; but they said it was the Prophet Elisha who 
told the king of Israel what was said in the most secret 
chamber of the king of Syria. Then the Syrians sent an army of 
men to take Elisha at Dothan, and kill him. 

They came by night, and when Elisha's servant looked out 
in the morning, he saw horses and chariots all round the place. 
He was afraid, and cried out "Alas, my master! how shall we 
do?" But Elisha said to him, "Fear not: for they that be with 
us are more than they that be with them." And he prayed that the 
young man's eyes might be opened that he might see : and so they 
were — to see the whole mountain round about full of chariots of 
fire and horses of fire ; many, many more than the Syrians had, 
and all come to take care of Elisha. 

And God made the Syrians unable to see that Elisha was 
before them, and he led them all the way to Samaria, and put 
them before King Joram as his prisoners. Joram wanted to put 
them to death, but Elisha would not let him, and they were all 
sent safe home, and did not come back as enemies for a long time. 
And we know that, though we cannot see them, God's angels are 
still in great armies encamped all round about those who fear 
Him, to deliver them. 

13-B.S. 




194 ELISHA'S MIRACLES. 

QUESTIONS. 

1. Who were the enemies of the kings of Israel? 2. Who always told the 
plans of the Syrians? 3. How did Elisha know? 4. What did the king of 
Syria want to do? 5. When did his army come? 6. Who was frightened? 7. 
What did Elisha say? 8. Who were those who were with them? 9. Who are 
always round about those who fear God? 10. Why, then, need we never be 
afraid? 11. What happened to these Syrians ? 12. But were they killed? 13. 
Why not. 

THIRD READING. 

"This day is a day of good tidings. — 2 Kings 7: 9. 

F King Joram had been good he would have had no trou- 
bles ; but he would let his mother Jezebel worship her 
false gods, so God sent the Syrians against him again. 
And they came all round Samaria, and shut it in so 
3jjfc close that nobody could get out; and all the food was 
eaten up, so that even such food as a donkey's head 
was so dear that hardly anybody could buy it, and everyone was 
getting starved. Joram was so angry, that he said at last, in his 
wickedness, he would cut off Elisha's head the next day. 

But Elisha said quietly that to-morrow there would be 
quantities of food in the city, so that it would cost almost nothing. 
One of the king's lords laughed, and said, "If the Lord should 
make windows in heaven, might such a thing be?" "Thou shalt 
see it with thine eyes," said Elisha, "but shalt not eat thereof." 

Now, that night the Lord made the Syrians hear a great 
noise, as if an army was coming up to help the Israelites. And 
they were so frightened, that they all fled away in the night, and 
left all their tents standing, and their armor in them, and their 
stores of food. 

In the early morning, three poor leprous men, who could not 
get any food in Samaria, crept down to see if the Syrians would 
give them anything, or they thought if the Syrians should kill 
them, that would be better than being starved. But when they 



ELISHA'S MIRACLES. 



195 



came to the camp there was nobody there — no soldiers, no horses, 
only tents full of rich dresses, and fine armour, and, best of all, 
plenty of food. The hungry lepers went and ate, and then they 
thought they ought to go and tell the people in the town that all 
the Syrians were gone. 

So the king sent out to see, two men upon lean, starved horses. 
They found it was all true, and everybody went rushing out to 
get food. The king sent the lord who had laughed at Elisha, to 
stand in the gate to keep order; but the people were so very 
hungry that they did not mind him, and he was knocked down and 
trodden upon, and trampled to death : and so it came to pass that 
he saw the plenty, but did not eat of it, because he had mocked at 
the word of the Lord. 

QUESTIONS. 

1. Who was king of Israel? 2. Who was prophet? 3. What was the chief 
town in Israel? 4. Who tried to take it? 5. What was the sad distress in 
Samaria? 6. What had they to eat? 7. Whose fault was it? 8. But whom 
did Joram want to punish ? 9. What did Elisha promise ? 10. Who laughed at 
him? 11. What did Elisha say? 12. What happened in the night? 13. 
What became of the Syrians? 14. Who found it out? 15. What did the lepers 
see? 16. Whom did they tell? 17. What did all the people do? 18. What 
became of the man who laughed at Elisha? 19. What is it that makes God 
angry ? 




Thirtieth Sunba^ 



THE RUIN OF AHAB'S HOUSE, 

FIRST READING. 

"What hast thou to do with peace." — 2 Kings 9: 18. 

HE Sunday before last you 
heard how King Ahab was 
killed in battle, though he had 
fancied that he could hide 
from God. His wife, Queen 
Jezebel, was left; and she had 
always been worse than he 
was, and she had brought up 
her son Joram to be very 
wicked too. When Joram had 
reigned as king for twelve 
years, God told His Prophet 
Elijah to send a young man to anoint a captain called Jehu to be 
king instead of Joram. So the young man took some oil, and went 
to the town where Jehu was, and said, "I have an errand to thee, 
captain." Then he poured the oil on Jehu's head, and told him 
that God made him king of Israel. 

The other captains were glad to make Jehu king, and they 
made him sit on the top of a flight of steps, and blew with their 
trumpets, and shouted, "Jehu is king." Then they all set out to 
conquer King Joram. 

Joram had his chariot made ready, and went out in it to 
meet Jehu; but, as soon as they came in sight of one another 

196 




THE RUIN OF AHAB'S HOUSE. 



197 



Jehu shot an arrow, and it struck Joram, so that he sank down 
in his chariot and died. 

Then Jehu went on into the town; and Jezebel thought she 
would still try to make friends with the people; so, instead of 
mourning for her son, she painted her face, and put on a head- 
dress, and looked out at a window. Jehu said, "Who is on my 
side? who?" And some of the servants looked out. He said, 




JEZEBEL EATEN BY DOGS.— 2 Kings 9: 32, 33. 

"Throw her down." So the servants threw Jezebel out of the 
window, and her blood sprinkled on Jehu's horses. But he went 
on, and went into the palace, and was made king, and had a feast. 

Then he sent out, and said that he would have Jezebel buried, 
for she was a king's daughter. However, when his men went out 
to look for her, they found that the wild dogs that ran about the 
streets had eaten up every bit of her, so that there was nothing 
left of her but her skull and her feet, and the palms of her hands. 

You remember that God's prophet Elijah, had told Ahab 
that the dogs should eat Jezebel, because she was so cruel. She 



198 THE RUIN OF ARAB'S HOUSE. 

worshipped idols, and killed God's prophets, and had poor Naboth 
put to death that Ahab might have his vineyard. So God pun- 
ished her. People need not hope that God will not punish what 
they have done wrong, for He will be quite sure to punish unless 
they are very sorry, and pray to Him, to pardon them for Jesus 
Christ's sake. 

QUESTIONS. 

1. Who was Ahab? 2. Who was Jezebel ? 3. What wicked things had they 
done? 4. What had the prophet told them? 5. What had become of Ahab ? 
6. Who was king after Ahab ? 7. How long was Joram king? 8. Whom did 
God choose to punish Jezebel and Joram ? 9. Who was sent to tell Jehu ? 10 
What is anointing? 11. Who did you hear of before who was anointed? 12 
What did the other captains do to Jehu? 13. Who came out to meet him? 14. 
What did Jehu do to Joram? 15. What did Jezebel do? 16. What became of 
Jezebel? 17. What was left of Jezebel? 18. Why did she come to such a 
shocking end ? 19. What does God do to sinners? 20. Does He always punish 
them at once? 21. Does he forget? 22. What must be done if we would not 
be punished ? 

SECOND READING. 

"Jehu destroyed Baal out of Israel." — 2 Kings 10: 28. 

HEN that fierce soldier, Jehu, was made king, the 
men of Israel cut off the heads of all Ahab's sons 
and grandsons, and made them up into two heaps at 
the city gates; and all the people who worshipped 
Baal were shut up in his temple, and every one of 
them killed. It is very sad and terrible; but God 
had commanded that people who prayed to idols should not live, 
because they taught the rest of the Israelites to be wicked too. 
When we hear about it, we must recollect that it is a fearful 
thing to turn away from serving God, and that He is sure to 
punish those who will not worship Him. 

You are not likely to pray to an idol ; but I hope you do say 
your prayers night and morning, and mind them as you say them. 




THE RUIN OF ARAB'S HOUSE. 199 

Not saying our prayers, and not going to church, is turning 
away from God; and it would be very sad and ungrateful to do 
that, for God has done much more for us than He did for the 
Israelites, and we know more about Him than they did. 

QUESTIONS. 

1. Who came to punish them? 2. What was done with the heads of the 
princes? 3. What was done to the worshippers of Baal? 4. Why were they 
put to death ? 5. What Commandment did these worshippers of Baal break ? 
6. What is the First Commandment? 7. Whom must we worship? 8. When 
do we worship Him ? 9. Must we go without saying our prayers? 

THIRD READING. 

" The arrow of the Lord's deliverance." — 2 Kings 13: 17. 

LISHA grew to be a very old man, and when at last 
he fell sick and was near his death, the king of Israel, 
whose name was Joash, came and kept by his bed-side. 
Elisha said, "Open the window eastward ;" and 
he opened it. Then Elisha said, "Shoot ;" and Joash 
took his bow and shot an arrow. And Elisha said, "The arrow 
of the Lord's deliverance." Then he said, "Take the arrows; 
smite upon the ground." 

Joash struck three times on the ground, but he did not go 
on striking, for he did not think enough of God and His prophet 
to understand that if he obeyed Elisha God would bless him. 
So Elisha told him if he had struck many times, he would have 
had a great many victories over the Syrians, but as he had only 
struck three times, he would only have three victories. For it is 
when people begin by obeying in little things that God gives them 
a great deal. 

Then the great Prophet Elisha died, and was buried; and 
Joash beat the Syrians three times, but no more, because he had 
not believed and obeyed. 




200 



THE RUIN OF AHAB'S HOUSE, 



QUESTIONS. 

1. Who was dying? 2. Who came to see Elisha? 3. What did Elisha tell 
Joash to do ? 4. What did he call the arrow ? 5. What did he bid Joash do 
then? 6. How many times did Joash strike the ground? 7. What ought he to 
have done? 8. Why did he not? 9. What did Elisha promise him ? 10. Why 
did not he have more victories? 11. If we want to do great things, how must 
we do little things ? 




A CITY CAPTURED AND THE INHABITANTS LED AWAY CAPTIVE. 



ftbirt^first Sunba^ 




HEZEKIAH AND JOS/AH. 

FIRST READING. 

" He did that which was right in the sight of the Lord." — 2 Kings 18 : 3. 

OU have heard of many bad kings. There is a 
good king to tell you of at last — good King 
Hezekiah. He cared for nothing so much as 
to please God. He would not have any idols, 
but he cleared them all away, and had the 
holy Temple all set to rights, and made beau- 
tiful as God had commanded ; and he had all 
the services at the Temple at the right times, 
and used to go and pray there himself constantly. And he did all 
he could to make his people good too. 

But there came a great danger. There was a king of Assyria 
named Sennacherib, who had quantities of soldiers and horses 
and chariots, and he used to conquer towns, and carry all the 
people in them away to live far from home. He thought he would 
seize Hezekiah and his people in this way, and he did come and 
do much harm all over the country. 

He did not come at once to Jerusalem; but he sent three 
boasting men, with an army, to stand outside the walls, and call 
out to the people inside, that Sennacherib was coming to conquer 
them and carry them away, and that they need not believe their 
king Hezekiah when he said that God would help them, for no 
god had ever yet saved a country from Sennacherib. 

Hezekiah's people were terribly afraid. Some wanted him 
to get help from the king of Egypt ; but Hezekiah knew that God 

201 



202 



HEZEKIAH AND JOSIAH. 



had forbidden him to have anything to do with the Egyptians. 
He knew that God could help him, and that the way to be helped 
was to do just what God told him. So, though Sennacherib had 
so many men, and he had so few, and the Egyptians had plenty 
of soldiers and horses, he made sure that God could save him 
much better than any Egyptian of them all. 

Next Sunday morning you will hear what happened. 



Y >i>T4«i£ ft «<rig rr 44 tf 44 * 



* f Vv ^^rV^ £HT-- 




RABSACES BEFORE SENNACHERIB. 



QUESTIONS. 

1. Who is the good king we hear of to-day? 2. What did he clear away ? 3. 
What Commandment did he keep ? 4. Where did he go and pray ? 5. Who 
was his enemy? 6. What message did Sennacherib send to the people of Jerusa- 
lem? 7. Where did the people want Hezekiah to send for help? 8. Why would 
not Hezekiah send for help from Egypt? 9. To whom did he trust? 




t 



HEZEKIAH AND JOSIAH. 203 

SECOND READING. 

" Thou art the God, even Thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth : 
Thou hast made heaven and earth. 7 ' — Isaiah 37 : 16. 

EZEKIAH was king of Jerusalem. He was very good, 
and always served God and prayed to Him. But a 
great fierce king named Sennacherib brought an 
army into his land, and ruined all his towns and 
villages except Jerusalem, and shut up Hezekiah in 
his town, so that his people could not dare to come out. 

And Sennacherib wrote a letter to tell Hezekiah that it was 
no use to hope to escape, he was coming to take away the Jews and 
ruin Jerusalem; and this wicked man even said that Hezekiah 
need not think that his God would save him, for no nation had 
ever yet been saved by its gods, so the God of Hezekiah could 
not help him. 

HEZEKIAH'S PRAYER. 

In his great distress Hezekiah went up to the Temple, and 
told God all his trouble. And he said, "Thou art the God, even 
Thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth: Thou hast made 
heaven and earth." He said he knew the gods of those nations 
could not save them, for they were no gods, only wood and stone ; 
but he trusted that God would save him and his people, though 
they were far too weak to defend themselves against this terrible 
king and his people. 

God heard the good king's prayer, and sent him a promise 
that his enemy should not even come before Jerusalem, nor shoot 
one arrow at it. And God kept His word. The fierce soldiers of 
Sennacherib all lay down to sleep one night, but they never woke 
up again. God sent His angel, with a deadly blast, and all the 
army that wanted to destroy His people died in one single night. 

It was because they and their king had fancied God could 



204 HEZEKIAH AND JOSIAH. 

not save His people, that they died. And it was because Hezekiah 
prayed to the Lord and tried to be good and holy, that no one 
could hurt him. Now try to do like Hezekiah. If you are vexed, 
or if you are afraid, tell God all about it, and ask Him to help 
you. And He will be quite sure to hear and help you, if you will 
only speak to Him and tell Him what is in your heart. 




THE ANGEL SLAYING THE ASSYRIANS.— 2 Kings 19: 35- 

QUESTIONS. 

1. Who was Hezekiah? 2. What kind of king was he? 3. Who wanted to 
hurt him ? 4. What did Sennacherib mean to do ? 5. What had he done to 
other cities ? 6. What very wicked thing did Sennacherib say ? 7. Where did 
Hezekiah go in his distress? 8. To whom did he pray? 9. Why did he say 
the other cities had not been saved by their gods ? 10. What commandment tells 
us not to have gods of wood and stone? 11. What did Hezekiah ask God to 
do? 12. What did God promise? 13. And what happened to the soldiers of 
Sennacherib? 14. Who slew them ? 15. Why were these people slain ? 16. 
Why was Hezekiah safe? 17. What did he do that he might be saved? 18. 
How can you do like Hezekiah? 19. What may you tell God about? 20. 
What will He be sure to hear ? 21. Wnd if you pray to Him, what will He do 
for you ? 




HEZEKIAH AND JOSIAH. 205 

THIRD READING. 

a Like unto him wits there do king before him, that turned to the Lord with 
all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his might." — 2 K'ukj* 23 : 25. 

HERE is one more good king to tell you about, whose 
name was Josiah. He was great-grandson to good 
King Hezekiah. The two kings who had come 
between Josiah's grandfather and father, had both 
been very bad men. His grandfather repented when 
he fell into trouble, and God forgave him; but his 
father never repented, and died in his wickedness when Josiah 
was only eight years old. But Josiah was very different. He 
made his people break down their idols, and clear out the Temple 
of the unholy things they had brought in, and worship God rightly 
once more. 

THE BOOK OF THE LAW OF MOSES. 

While they were cleaning out the Temple, they found a book 
that nobody knew — the Book of the Law of Moses — that is, the 
first five books in the Bible. All the time of these two bad kings 
nobody had minded it, or read it; it had been lost, and everyone 
had forgotten all about it. 

When Josiah knew what it was, and that it was the Law 
that God had spoken to Moses, he made the priests read it to 
him and all his people. They were very much frightened when 
they heard it ; for they found they were doing all the very things 
that God had said He would punish them for, and turn them out 
of their good land. 

So Josiah sent to a holy prophetess to ask her whether, if 
they left off their sins, and were very sorry, and prayed with 
all their might, God would still forgive them. But God told 
her to answer that the people had done so wrong, and grown so 
wicked, that now their punishment must come; but that, as 



206 



HEZEKIAH AND JOSIAH. 



Josiah's heart was tender, and he loved God, it should not happen 
in his time, and that he should be quietly buried with his fathers. 
And, after years of goodness, Josiah was killed in a battle, and 
all his people mourned over him. 

But they had not been really good, they only pretended, just 
to please him, and went back to their wicked ways, in spite of all 




THE BOOK OF THE LAW FOUND.— 2 Kings 22 : io, 11. 

the pains he had taken with them ; and his own sons were as bad 
as the rest. So the punishment was obliged to come. 

What I wish you to mind to-day is how these people lost 
their Book of the Law for want of attending to it. If you have 
not got a Bible of your own, I dare say you soon will have one. 
And then, pray, do not do like these people of Israel. Do not 
let it lie by till you forget to look at it, and forget what is in it, 
and then forget even where it is. If you do, you will grow as 
bad as these people were, and God will be forced to punish you 
as He was forced to punish them. 



HEZEKIAH AND JOSIAH. 



207 



QUESTIONS. 

1. Who was Josiah ? 2. How many kings were there between him and Heze- 
kiah ? 3. What sort of kings were they? 4. What kind of person was Josiah? 
5. How old was he when he began to reign? 6. What did he have cleaned out? 
7. What did they find there? 8. Who gave the Law? 9. What was to hap- 
pen if it was not kept? 10. How had it been lost? 11. What did Josiah cause 
the priests to do? 12. Why was he frightened? 13. What did he ask? 15. 
But why did the people deserve to be punished? 16. What did they do as soon 
as Josiah was dead ? 17. What came of forgetting their Bibles ? 18. Ought we 
to forget our Bibles? 19. If we never read them, can we be good? 20. And 
if we are not good, what must be done to us ? 




AN ASSYRIAN KING. 



ftbirt^-seconb Sunba^ 




JEHOIAKIM'S CRUELTY, 

FIRST READING. 

" I speak unto thee in thy prosperity ; but thou saidst, I will not hear."- 
Jer. 22: 21. 



OSIAIi was the last good king. In his 
time God called Jeremiah, when he was 
only a young boy about twelve years old, 
to be His prophet ; and all the time Josiah 
reigned Jeremiah was teaching the 
people God's will, while Josiah was 
doing all he could to help them to do right and serve the Lord. 
But the Jews did not heed either the king or the prophet — 
they only longed after their idols. Even Josiah's own sons would 
not be good, after they had been brought up by such a holy father; 
but no sooner was he killed in battle, than they went back to all 
the bad ways that he had put an end to. 

The eldest son, Jehoahaz, only reigned three months. Then 
God let the king of Egypt take him away ; and the Prophet Jere- 
miah says that it was far sadder for him to go away a captive, 
and never see his home again, than for good Josiah to be in his 
grave, loved and wept for by all. For though God had let Josiah 
die so early, it was in mercy. The people had grown so wicked 
that they must be punished, and so he was taken away from the 
evil to come. His next son was king after his brother Jehoahaz. 
The next brother was king instead. His name was Jehoia- 
kim. One would have hoped he would have taken warning by his 

208 



JEHOIAKIM'S CRUELTY. 209 

brother's troubles, and served God better. But no! He did not 
care to attend to poor people. He thought he should be safe in a 
fine house. He sent for large stones, and had great beams of 
cedar tree for the roofs, and painted the walls of his great rooms 
with scarlet. But he paid no wages to his workmen, and was 
cruel to everybody, and had innocent people killed if they made 
him angry with them. 




JERUSALEM BESIEGED AND PEOPLE TAKEN CAPTIVE.— 2 Kings 25 : 11. 

Only there was one man who was not afraid of this King 
Jehoiakim. It was God's prophet Jeremiah. He told the king 
how little good his fine house would do ; and what was more, he said 
that when he died nobody would be sorry for him. They had 
wept for his father with a great weeping and many tears; but 
when the cruel Jehoiakim died nobody would lament. Nobody 
would say, "Ah, lord!" or, "Ah, his glory !" but they would care 
for him no more than if he was an ass who was being buried. 



14-B.S. 



210 



JEHOIAKIM'S CRUELTY. 



QUESTIONS. 

1. Who was the good king you heard of last Sunday evening? 2. What kind 
of sons had he? 3. What became of the first? 4. What was he never to do? 
5. What was the name of the second? 6. What did Jehoiakim want to build? 
7. What were the walls of? 8. How was it roofed? 9. How was it painted? 
10. But what did he not pay ? 11. How did he treat the people? 12. Who 
could have made him quite safe? 13. But how must he have lived if he wanted 
God to take care of him? 14. If God did not take care of him, would his fine 
house do him any good? 15. Who told him it would do him no good? 16. 
What had everyone done when Josiah died? 17. Why did they weep for Josiah? 
18. But would they care when Jehoiakim died? 19. Why would nobody care 
for Jehoiakim? 

Note— The two other Lectlonary Lessons for this day are from Nehemlah. If It be desired to 
read the "story" on them, it is to be found on the 89th Sunday, but It was omitted here to preveut 
chronological confusion. 




ASHTORETH. 



Ubirt^-tbtrb 5unba\\ 



JEREMIAH'S PROPHECIES. 

FIRST READING. 

" He reserveth to us the appointed weeks of the harvest." — Jer. 5 : 

HE chapter to-day is one where God is 
putting us in mind, by His Prophet 
Jeremiah, whom he sent to speak to the 
wicked kings, that we ought to remem- 
ber Him and be thankful to Him. Two 
of His great mercies are spoken of here. 
If you go and stand on the sea- 
shore, you see the great wide sea of 
waters heaving and moving all over. 
Then a long wave comes rising up; it 
runs on and on, and rises high, falls over in white 
foam, and breaks on the sand with a rush. Then 
another rolling wave comes after it, and another, 
and another, each a little higher than the last. They 
hide the ground ; and if you stood still at the edge of the first, they 
would soon carry you off. Stone is hidden after stone, rock after 
rock, and you would think all the land would get covered at last. 
No, there is no fear of that. 

In six hours' time, the waves leave off coming farther and 
farther; but each leaves a little bit more ground uncovered, till 
they have gone quite back to where they were before, and the 
beach lies fresh and shining in the wet. People call this the tide, 
and know it always does so ; it comes up and goes back at its set 
times, because God fixed a line for that fierce sea, and said to it, 
"Hitherto shalt thou go, and no farther; and here shall thy proud 

211 




212 JEREMIAH'S PROPHECIES. 

waves be stayed." And if the waves dash and roar ever so loud, 
still they never can get beyond the bound God fixed for them. 

There is the wonder of the sea ! Now look at the wonder of 
the land. All over the country, the corn stands up tall and brown ; 
or else it has been cut, and is piled up in shocks; or the wagons 
are carrying it safe home! Perhaps you have been gleaning in 
the fields, and have brought home your lap full of corn. 




THE LORD COMMANDS JEREMIAH.— Jer. 2: 16, 17. 

How did we get the corn that is to make us bread? It was 
because, when the farmer sowed his grain, God sent rain to make 
it grow, and caused the sun to shine, so as to draw up the stalk, 
and swell the grain in the ear; and now He hath "reserved to us 
the appointed weeks of the harvest." He has given us the glad 
harvest-time to store up our wheat, to make bread for all the 
year. Let us thank Him, and never forget who gives us bread, 
nor to say our prayer for daily bread. 



JEREMIAH'S PROPHECIES. 213 

QUESTIONS 
1. What do the waves of the sea do every day? 2. What do people call the 
coming up of the sea? 3. Need we fear its coming too far? 4. Why cannot 
the waves come too far? 5. What did God say to the sea? 6. Who made the 
sea ? 7. Can you tell me a verse you say or sing at church about the sea being 
His? 8. What is it that God gives us every day to eat? 9. What is bread 
made of ? 10. Where does corn grow? 11. Who makes the corn grow? 12. 
What does God send to make the corn grow ? 13. What do we call the gather- 
ing in of our corn? 14. Who takes care we shall have a harvest? 15. How 
should we ask God for our food ? 16. How should we thank Him for our food? 

SECOND READING. 

"Yet they were not afraid." — Jer. 36: &£. 

OU heard what a bad, cruel king Jehoiakim was. Still 

there was a hope that he and his people would take 

warning, when he heard that God would punish his 

sin; so Jeremiah the Prophet had all his prophecies 

written out on a roll of parchment, and his friend 

Baruch went to the Temple, and read to the people that if they 

would not worship God and serve Him faithfully, He would 

cause them all to be taken away prisoners to a strange land. 

Baruch stood reading the parchment; and the people listened 
to him, and some of them began to grow afraid. But then came 
some of the king's great people, and when they heard it they 
thought it would make the king angry. They forgot that God's 
anger signified much more than the king's anger. They did 
not want Jeremiah or Baruch to be punished, but they were afraid 
to let the reading go on. So they told Baruch to go away and 
hide himself and Jeremiah carefully, and then they took the 
prophecies to shew them to the king. 

The king was sitting by the fire warming himself, for it 
was in the winter. He listened for a little while; but when he 
found that the parchment was about his sins and God's anger, 




214 JEREMIAH'S PROPHECIES. 

he took out a knife and cut the whole into bits, and burnt it in 
the fire. Was he so foolish as to think that burning the prophecy 
would prevent it from coming to pass? If so, he made a great 
mistake; for God desired Jeremiah to have it all written over 
again, and more too; for the punishment was to be worse now 
than it would have been before — much worse than if Jehoiakim 
had listened, and left off his bad ways, and prayed to God. 




TWO PAGES OF AN ANCIENT SCROLL OF SCRIPTURES. 

In a very short time the enemy all came round Jerusalem, 
and everyone was shut up in the city, and could not get out, and 
food was very scarce; and Jehoiakim was taken and put in chains; 
and thus he died, and nobody grieved for him. His young son, 
Jehoiachin, was called king for a little while, but only for a very 
little while; for the king of Babylon broke into the city, and 
made him prisoner, and took him away to be shut up far from 



JEREMIAH'S PROPHECIES. 215 

home. And as to the dead body of Jehoiakim himself, nobody had 

time to give him a burial ; so it was thrown out at the gates as 

if he had been a dead ass instead of a king of Judah. 

So you see God's words through Jeremiah all came true, 

though Jehoiakim would not heed them. He only made it worse 

by not listening. 

QUESTIONS. 

1. Who was the king? 2. Who was the prophet? 3. What had Jeremiah 
said about Jehoiakim ? 4. Where did God tell him to have it written? 5. Who 
was to read it? 6. To whom did Baruch read? 7. Where did the great people 
take the roll of parchment? 8. What did the king do to it? 9. Whose words 
did he throw away? 10. Why would not he listen? 11. Did he hinder the 
harm from coming? 12. What happened to him? 13. How was he buried ? 
14. How should he have tried to prevent the harm from coming? 15. How 
should you behave if you have fault found with you ? 

THIRD READING. 

" Thus have we obeyed the voice of Jonadab the son of Rechab our father 
in all that he hath charged us." — Jer. 35 : 8. 

OD is pleased with those who obey what their parents 
tell them. To-day we hear about a family, whose 
father gave them an order that sounds strange to 
us. They were never to live in stone or brick houses, 
but always to have tents ; they were not to have corn- 
fields or vineyards, but only flocks of sheep, and 
herds of cows and goats; and they were never to taste wine or 
strong drink, but only water and milk. It was quite a long time 
after the old father, who gave these orders, had died, that the 
Prophet Jeremiah was told to try whether they still minded him. 
He was told to set pots of wine and cups before them, and to ask 
them to drink. But they all answered steadily, that their father 
had bidden them never to touch wine, nor have fields, nor build 
houses ; and they were resolved that they would obey him. Then 
God was pleased with them, and gave a blessing to them by the 




216 JEREMIAH'S PROPHECIES. 

mouth of His prophet. He said that there should never be an end 
to their tribe, because they were so obedient. And so it has been. 

These Rechabites, as they are called, lived two thousand four 
hundred years ago ; and their children and descendants have gone 
on like them ever since — living in tents, keeping sheep, and drink- 
ing no wine, and obeying the voice of their father, who lived so 
long ago. They have lasted so long, because God blessed their 
obedience. 

Now, sometimes a little child goes out alone, and some friend 
offers it something nice that it knows its mother would not like 
it to have. Or some person asks a little boy to come into a beer- 
shop, and drink a drop, when perhaps his father had told him not. 
Recollect, then, that if you are steady in minding what you are 
told, as those good Rechabites were, then God will be pleased 
with you, and own you for His good child, and give you His 

blessing. 

QUESTIONS. 

1. What is the Fifth Commandment? 2. Who are the people we hear of to- 
day who honored their father? 3. Who was their father ? 4. What had he told 
them? 5. Where were they to live? 6. What were they not to drink? 7. 
Who tried if they would obey? 8. What did Jeremiah offer the Rechabites? 
9. What did they answer ? 10. What blessing did God give them? 11. How 
have they gone on ever since? 12. Why was God pleased with them? 13. 
What can you do to please God ? 1 4. If you are out of sight of your father and 
mother, what must you still do? 15. If any of you are asked to do what your 
mother would not like, how must you behave? 16. Who is pleased if you are 
obedient? 




ASSYRIAN ARMLET. 



JLbixt^fomth 5unba& 



THE TAKING OF JERUSALEM. 

FIRST READING. 




w 



— ^--^gg 



" Behold, I am against you, saith the Lord God." — Ezehiel 13 : 8. 

HEN King Jehoiakim was dead, and 
his son Jehoiachin carried away to 
Babylon, another king began to reign, 
named Zedekiah. He was Jehoiachin's 
uncle ; he was Jehoiakim's brother ; and he 
was son to good Josiah. The king of 
Babylon said that Zedekiah should reign 
as long as he would be obedient to him, and 
pay some money every year, so as to show 
that he owned the king of Babylon for his 
master. And God spake through His prophet Jeremiah, and said 
that if Zedekiah would obey the king of Babylon, the people should 
be left in peace, only they must be patient under their punishment. 
But Zedekiah was more like his bad brother than his good 
father. He listened to people who pretended to be prophets, 
though God had never spoken by them. They told him to set 
up for himself against the king of Babylon, and that all the 
beautiful things that had been taken out of the Temple should 
come back again. 

And when Jeremiah told them that it would not be so, and 
that if they rebelled against the Babylonians it would be worse 
for them, and the king would be put to death, they were so 
wicked as to let the holy prophet down into a pit, with mud and 

217 



218 THE TAKING OF JERUSALEM. 

mire at the bottom ; and there he lay sunk in the mire, and with 
no food to eat, nor water to drink. 

At last a black man, one of the king's slaves, came and told 
the king that the prophet would soon be dead if he stayed there. 
Then Zedekiah was shocked, and he told the black to get Jeremiah 
safe out of the pit. So they threw him down soft rags, and told 
him to put them under his arms, that the ropes might not hurt 
him when they drew him up. 

So Jeremiah came out of the horrible pit, and had some 
food; and the king sent to see him in secret. Then he told the 
king that it was God's will that he should bear to be under the 
Babylonian power, and that he must not make war; for that if 
he did, he would come to great misery, and die blind and a 
prisoner. 

Zedekiah was not angry, as his brother had been, but all he 
had to say for himself was that he was afraid of his people. 
He was more afraid of them than of God, and he would not do 
what he knew to be right. So he told the black man to keep 
Jeremiah safe, and take care he had food every day; but he 
begged Jeremiah not to say one word to these wicked men about 
the conversation they had had together. 

Was it not a foolish thing to be so afraid of men, when God 
could have taken care of him? He would have been quite safe 
if he had only been bold enough to do as God told him ! Mind, 
that if ever idle children should want you to be as naughty as 
they are, and tease you till you feel afraid to stand out against 
them, the only way to be safe is to do as God tells you. Zedekiah, 
who was afraid to do right, was quite as much punished as 
Jehoiakim, who was bold to do wrong. 

QUESTIONS. 
1. Who was the king after Jehoiakim? 2. What did the king of Babylon 
promise ? 3. What did God say ? 4. By whom did God speak ? 5. To whom 




THE TAKING OF JERUSALEM. 219 

did Zedekiah listen instead ? 6. What did he do to Jeremiah ? 7. What kind 
of place was the pit? 8. Who had pity on Jeremiah ? 9. How was Jeremiah 
taken out of the pit? 10. What did he tell the king? 11. Why did not Zedekiah 
mind him? 12. Why was it very foolish of Zedekiah to be afraid of the people? 

SECOND READING. 

" There was written therein lamentations, and mourning, and woe." — Ezekiel 2\ 10. 

HIS is a sad text ; but when people are wicked, sadness 
must always follow. 

You heard how kind God had been to the Israel- 
ites, and how much He had done for them; how He 
gave them their beautiful land, and their city of Jeru- 
salem, and blessed them whenever they were good. 
And if they sinned, He sent punishment, that they might learn 
to do better; and when they were sorry He forgave them, and 
made them happy again. But they would not keep to what He 
told them ; they would worship idols, and grow worse and worse, 
till at last God said that there could be only "lamentation, and 
mourning, and woe," for the trouble they had brought on 
themselves. 

God sent a great army under the king of Babylon, and 
Jerusalem was given up to them. The fierce soldiers came in, 
and burnt the houses, and robbed the Temple ; and as to the young 
king, Jehoiachin, they took him and his mother, and all his chief 
lords and priests, and carried them away to Babylon, where he 
was a long time in prison. 

The chapter to-day was written by a holy prophet, whose 
name was Ezekiel, and who was taken away to Babylon at the 
same time as the young king. God came and spoke to Ezekiel, 
that he might go on warning the people, that if they did not 
repent now that they were punished, He would be obliged to go 
on punishing them still. 

Think about that. You know if you have done wrong and 



220 THE TAKING OF JERUSALEM. 

been punished, it is that you may mind another time, and not 

do the same over again. If you are obstinate or careless, and 

go back to the old fault, then you will have to suffer more and 

more; and there can be nothing but "lamentation and mourning 

and woe." 

QUESTIONS. 

1. Who is the prophet whose chapter is read to-day? 2. Where did Ezekiel 
live ? 3. Who took him to Babylon ? 4. Who was taken there at the same 
time? 5. How old was king Jehoiachin? 6. What was his home? 7. Why 
were he and his people taken away from Jerusalem ? 8. What had been their 
sin? 9. How had God tried to make them better? 10. Had they attended? 
11. What must come of sin? 12. What is the use of being punished? 13. 
What will happen if we do not leave off the fault when we are punished ? 

THIRD READING. 

"And ye shall be comforted." — Ezekiel 14,: 22. 

HE prophet Ezekiel had many sad things to tell the 
Jews; but he had some comfortable ones. They had 
been very wicked, and God took them away from 
their dear home at Jerusalem, and let it be burnt 
with fire ; and put them to live far away in a strange 
land at Babylon. But He told them that if they 
would leave off their sins, and turn back to Him, and not worship 
idols any more, then He would forgive them, and bring them 
home again. 

To-day the Lesson says that they must really be sorry in 
earnest, not only pretend to be sorry. If they said they would 
worship God, and were caring for their idols in their hearts 
all the time, then He must go on being angry, and punishing 
them; but if they were really sorry, and really prayed to Him, 
then when they had been punished enough, they should be 
comforted. 

They should not always stay in Babylon, in the dull flat 
land, with the streams of water flowing lazily through it; but 




fcL 



THE TAKING OF JERUSALEM. 



521 



they should see their own dear hills and fields again, and live 

in their homes once more. That would be such gladness, that 

it would make up for all the sorrow. All that was wanted was, 

that they should be really sorry, and leave off all the bad things 

they had done, and repent from the bottom of their hearts. 

Now when we have done wrong, and are punished, it is to 

make us sorry, that we may do so no more. Little children are 

punished by their friends ; grown-up people are punished by God 

sending troubles. Then we must be sorry, not only for the 

punishment, but the fault, and really try with all our hearts not 

to do it again. If we only say we are sorry, and then run back 

to our old ways, something worse will come of it. No, we must 

be sorry in earnest, and then God will forgive us, for His dear 

Son Jesus Christ's sake. 

QUESTIONS. 

1. What was happening to Jerusalem ? 2. What was done to the houses? 3. 
What was done to the people? 4. Where had they to live? 5. Where did they 
wish to be? 6. Why were they taken to Babylon ? 7. What wicked thing had 
they done ? 8. But what hope had they ? 9. What must they do to be forgiven ? 
10. Where should they go back again to? 11. Why are people punished? 12. 
What is the way to be forgiven? 13. How are children punished? 14. How 
are grown-up people punished? 15. What should we do if we are punished? 
16. Will it do to go back to the fault? 




Zhivtv-fifth Sunba^ 



THE FALL OF JERUSALEM. , 

FIRST READING. 

Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions." — Ezelciel 18 : 30. 

ERY sad things were going on among 
the Jews. A great many of them were 
carried away out of their beautiful 
hilly land of Canaan, to live among the 
flat wet marshes round Babylon, and 
only a few were left with their king 
Zedekiah at Jerusalem. 

Jeremiah was speaking God's 

words to the people of Jerusalem; 

Ezekiel was speaking God's words to 

the people who were captives by the 

river side. They both said the same thing — that 

the only way to be peaceful, and not to suffer worse 

and worse, would be to repent and leave off their 

sins that had displeased God, and pray to Him to 

spare them, and then to bear patiently the punishment that had 

begun. But this was just what Zedekiah and his people would 

not do. 

They misused Jeremiah for giving them such advice, and 
they would not own the king of Babylon for their master; and 
instead of believing God's true prophets, they listened to the false 
ones, who said, that in a very little while the captives would come 
back again, and all would be well. 

222 




U* 



THE FALL OF JERUSALEM. 223 

Then Ezekiel took a tile, a great flat piece of pottery, and 
he drew on it the walls and towers of the city of Jerusalem, and 
made little tents and banks round it, and he lay down by it on 
his side, and watched it. And he weighed out for himself a very 
little bad bread to eat. 

Then, when the people came to ask him why he did this, 
he said that it was to show them how it would be with their own 
Jerusalem far away. The Babylonians would come round it, and 
set up their tents, and make banks of earth to keep the people 
in, and shoot stones and arrows, and climb the walls. Inside 
there would be no better food than Ezekiel was eating — no, nor 
so good — and everyone would be starving, and dying of thirst. 

Then the enemy would break in, and carry all the chief of 
them away to Babylon, and keep them prisoners there — till the 
whole people had come to repent of their sins, and had turned 
to the Lord with all their hearts. 

For God has no pleasure in man's being punished. He only 
punishes that we may turn away from our sin and do right, and 
be saved at last. If only these Jews would have listened to Ezekiel 
and Jeremiah, and repented, they would have been spared; but 
instead of that, they went on growing worse and worse, till they 
had to have seventy long years of punishment before they could 
be forgiven. 

We must take care when we are punished that we are sorry, 
and not obstinate and hard, or we shall have to be punished more 
and more. 

QUESTIONS. 
1. Who were the two prophets? 2. Where did Jeremiah prophesy? 3. Where 
did Ezekiel prophesy ? 4. What did they both tell the people ? 5. Would the 
people mind them? 6. What did King Jehoiakim do to Jeremiah's prophecies? 
7. What did King Zedekiah do to Jeremiah? 8. What did Ezekiel take? 9. 
What did he draw on the tile? 10. What did he put round the tile? 11. 
Where did he lie? 12. What did he eat? 13. What was the tile to stand for? 
14. Who were coming round Jerusalem? 15. What would they set up? 



224 



THE FALL OF JERUSALEM. 




of weeds 



SECOND READING. 

" Woe to the bloody city." — Ezehiel 2£ : 6. 

Jerusalem had been taken, and pulled down, and burnt ; 
^ and King Zedekiah was dead, and all his sons, and 
most of the great people had been carried away to 
Babylon. Only the poorer people were left, that they 
might plough and sow, and gather the corn and the 
grapes, and keep the land from getting waste and full 
The Prophet Jeremiah was left among them. There 1 




JEREMIAH MOURNING OVER JERUSALEM.-Lam. ofjer. i : 1,2. 

is one book in the Bible called the Book of Lamentation, for it is 
the sad verses that he made to mourn over the beautiful city and 
the glorious Temple, all burnt with fire because the people had 
been so sinful. 

Still Jeremiah told the people that were left, that if they 
would be patient and obey the king of Babylon, that after the 
seventy years of punishment the troubles should be over, and 



, 



THE FALL OF JERUSALEM. 225 

their friends should come back, and the Temple be built up again. 
But still, after all that had happened, these wilful Jews would 
have their own way. They said they were afraid of the king of 
Babylon there, and must go to Egypt to be safe; just as if they 
were not safer where God told them to stay, than they could be 
anywhere else. So off they went, and they carried Jeremiah by 
force with them, whether he would or no. 

But almost as soon as Jeremiah came there, God told him 
to take some great stones ancT put them into the clay of the brick 
kiln near Pharaoh's house, and say that upon those very stones 
the king of Babylon himself would set up his tent in a few 
years' time. 

And so it was. The Babylonians raised a great army, and 
came marching into Egypt, and there they burnt and destroyed, 
and killed and made slaves of the people they found there. Then 
these foolish Jews saw that if they had only stayed quietly at 
home the king of Babylon would have done them no harm. But 
now they had run away just where he was coming, and would 
hurt them most. That came of not trusting God's Word, but 
trying to run away from Him ; for truly nothing is so foolish as 
to try to hide from God. 

QUESTIONS. 

1. What had been done to Jerusalem? 2. Where were all the chief people 
gone? 3. Who was left? 4. Where did Jeremiah stay? 5. What sad book did 
Jeremiah write? 6. Why was he sorry? 7. What did he tell the Jews that 
were left? 8. Where did they want to go? 9. Why was it wrong to go to 
Egypt? 10. Why did they choose to go to Egypt? 11. What did God tell 
Jeremiah? 12. Where was the king of Babylon to set his throne? 13. Where 
would they have been safest? 14. Why. 



15-B.S. 




226 THE FALL OF JERUSALEM. 

THIRD READING. 

"I will cause you to pass under the rod." — Ezekiel 20 : 37, 

QD told His prophet Ezekiel to put the Israelites in 
mind of all that He had done for them, and how 
ungrateful they had been — always worshipping 
idols, and turning away from Him, though He had 
brought them out of the land of Egypt, and led them 
through the wilderness, and given them the beautiful 
land of Canaan. But they would not serve Him there, so punish- 
ment had come. 

SOME ISRAELITES WERE CAPTIVES. 

Some of the Israelites were captives already in the land of 
the king of Babylon. Ezekiel was one of them; and just four 
years after he spoke this prophecy, Nebuchadnezzar, the king of 
Babylon, came up against Jerusalem, and took it once more, and 
made King Zedekiah prisoner as he was trying to flee away. 
Zedekiah's sons were put to death before his eyes; and after 
that his eyes were put out, and he was carried in chains to 
Babylon, and there slain. 

Beautiful Jerusalem was set on fire, the walls were thrown 
down, and all the gold and silver in the Temple was carried off 
to Babylon; and the Jews themselves were made to go there too, 
and live as prisoners there. 

This was the way God punished them to make them sorry 
for their sins; and still He gave them hope that when seventy 
years were over, they should come back, and build up their city ; 
and after that they would always remember their old fault, and 
never turn to worship false gods again. So God was merciful 
even in His anger, and sent their sorrow to make them know Him 
and serve Him better. 



. 



THE FALL OF JERUSALEM. 227 

QUESTIONS. 

1. Where had God led the Israelites from. 2. What beautiful place had He 
given them? 3. What were they to do for Him? 4. Did they serve Him? 5. 
What did they worship? 6. How did He punish them? 7. What young king 
had they lost "already ? 8. Who was the king that came up against Jerusalem ? 
9. What did Nebuchadnezzar do to Jerusalem? 10. Who was the king Nebu- 
chadnezzar took ? 11. What was done to king Zedekiah? 12. What was done 
to the city? 13. What was done to the people? 14. Were they ever to come back 
again? 15. How soon were they to come back? 16. What did they learn by 
their troubles ? 




THE BREASTPLATE. 



Zhivt^Qixth Sunba^ 



THE JEWS AT BABYLON. 

FIRST READING. 

" By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we re- 
membered Zion." — Psalm 137 : 1. 




W 



HEN the Jews came to Babylon, 
some were made to live in the city, 
where they worked at trades, and kept 
shops. Others lived in the country and 
worked in the fields. These were not 
like the fields at home. The goodly land 
at home was full of hills and valleys, 
with sloping pastures for the flocks, and 
vineyards on the sides of the hills ; but the 
land round Babylon was quite flat, with 
broad rivers flowing slowly and lazily 
through the meadows, with weeping 
willows upon their banks. 

While Jerusalem was being besieged, 
Ezekiel, at Babylon, drew the picture of the town on a tile, and 
shut it in with a wall, and lay watching it, and weighing out a 
little bit of bad bread for himself to eat every day, that the other 
Jews who were with him might know what was going on among 
their brethren at Jerusalem, as God' told him. 

And in a vision he saw the angels come and mark in their 
foreheads all that were good, that they might not be hurt in the 
siege ; while the bad would die by sword, and hunger, and sickness. 
So it is still, God saves His own good ones. The angels know and 
mark them, when all the rest are given up to God's terrible anger. 

228 



THE JEWS AT BABYLON. 



229 



QUESTIONS. 
1. What sort of place was Babylon? 2. Was it like the land of Israel? 3. 
Who was the prophet there? 4. What did he do while the siege of Jerusalem 
was going on? 5. Where did he draw it? 6. What did he eat? 7. Who were 
eating bread like that? 8. Who saw him? 9. What did he see an angel doing? 
10. Who were marked? 11. What became of those who were marked? 12. 
What became of those who had no mark? 13. Who will always be safe? 14. 
How are you marked ? 




EZEKIEL'S VISION.— Ezekiel i : 28. 

SECOND READING. 

" Son of man, can these bones live ? " — Ezekiel 37 : 3. 

HE great prophet Ezekiel was shewn by God how the 
Jews should be brought back after all their troubles. 
The Lord made him have a sort of dream, when he 
saw a whole valley spread over with dry bones, and 
the Lord said, "Son of man, can these bones live?" 
And Ezekiel said, "Lord, Thou knowest." 
Then the Lord bade Ezekiel sing; and as he sung there was 
a shaking, and the bones came together again and joined in their 




230 THE JEWS AT BABYLON. 

right places; and as he sung on, the flesh came back on them; 
and then the Lord bade him call to the winds of heaven, and 
they came and filled them with breath again, and they rose up 
and lived. 

Just so God said the kingdom of Judah was dead and 
scattered, but He would breathe on it, and wake it, and join it 
together again, like the dead bones rising to life. 

And just so, we know, when all our bodies are dead, and our 
bones lie in the grave, the call of the Lord's voice will wake them 
up, and we shall rise on our feet, and His breath will come to 
us, and we shall stand before Him an exceeding great army. 
For that is the resurrection of the body which we look for. 

QUESTIONS. 

1. Who was the prophet? 2. What had happened to the kingdom of Judah ? 
3. Who had conquered it? 4. Why had Nebuchadnezzar conquered it? 5. 
5. What did God shew Ezekiel? 6. How did the bones look? 7. Wliat did 
God bid Ezekiel do ? 8. What happened? 9. What came back to the bones? 
10. What was dry and dead like the bones? 11. But what did God promise to 
do? 12. When did the Jewish people come to life? 13. What will become of 
us by-and-by? 14. What will be done with our bodies? 15. When will they 
wake? 16. What will wake them? 17. What will be joined together? 18. 
Will they die any more? 19. For what do we believe in ? 

THIRD READING. 

" God gave them knowledge and skill." — Daniel 1 : 17. 

MONG the Jews who were carried away to Babylon 
there were some little boys, young princes of the king's 
family, who had been brought up in the palace of the 
house of David. They could not have been more than 
twelve years old when they were thus taken from 
their homes. 

The king of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar, thought he should 
like to have them to wait on him. So he desired the steward 




THE JEWS AT BABYLON. 231 

of his place to have them taken into his care, to be taught both 
to wait on the king, and to know all the learning of Babylon. 

Slaves instead of princes. That was sad enough, but what 
grieved these boys most of all was that the dinners that were 
sent to them all came from the king's own table, and they knew 
that all the meat there came from creatures that had been offered 
up to idols. 

Now there was one boy, whose name was Daniel, who knew 
that it was very wrong for any Jew to eat meats that had been 
offered to idols. Some of the boys said they did not care, and 
some said they were very sorry, but they could not help it. Yes, 
Daniel said, they could help it if they would leave off eating meat 
and drinking wine, and only have beans and water. 

LOYAL TO DANIEL. 

Then three more of the boys said they would stand by 
Daniel, and have only the beans and water rather than break 
God's holy Law. Their proper names were Hananiah, Azariah, 
and Mishael, but the king had changed all the boys' names, and 
he called them Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. 

So Daniel asked their master, Melzar, to give them none of 
the rich wine and fine dainties, but only water and pulse — that 
is, beans. 

But Melzar said they would grow thin and weak on such 
poor food, and then the king would be angry with him. 

"Only try us for just ten days," Daniel said. 

And God so blessed the food, that at the end of ten days, 
Daniel, Hananiah, Azariah, and Mishael, were fairer and fatter 
than all their cousins and friends who had been eating the 
king's dainties. 

And Melzar had found that none were so true and honest 
and obedient and painstaking, so he trusted them very much; 



232 



THE JEWS AT BABYLON. 



and they grew wise and learned, and still loved and feared their 

God, though they were slaves so far away from home. 

Now remember how they began. It was by giving up the 

things they liked when they found it was wrong to have them. 

When you are tempted to be greedy, would it not be a good thing 

to recollect Daniel and the other boys eating beans and drinking 

water? 

QUESTIONS. 

1. Who were the boys carried to Babylon? 2. What were their proper names? 
3. What did the king call them. ? 4. What was the name of the king of Baby- 
lon? 5. How did he desire these boys to be brought up? 6. What had they 
been at home? 7. What were they to eat? 8. Why did they not like to eat 
these meats? 9. What did Daniel beg for? 10. Who joined with him? 11. 
Who was their master? 12. What did Melzar say? 13. How long was it to be 
tried? 14. How did Daniel and his friends look? 15. Why was this? 16. 
Why did God bless them? 17. How did they behave? 18. What was the 
beginning of all their holiness? 19. What ought we to keep in order? 




Ubirt£=seventb Sunba^. 




DANIEL AT BABYLON. 

FIRST READING. 

" Our God whom wc serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery fur- 
nace/' — Daniel 3: 17. 

OU remember that the Jews had been so wicked, 
that God had let them be conquered by their 
enemies, and taken quite away from home 
to the great city of Babylon. 

The king of Babylon worshipped idols; 

and he set up a great golden idol, much higher 

than this room, and commanded that as soon 

as his music played, everyone should fall 

down and worship the image ; or if anyone would not, that person 

should be thrown into a burning fiery furnace. 

A furnace is like a very large oven, or like a brick-kiln — a 
sort of house quite full of fire — for burning and baking bricks, 
or melting iron, or anything else that requires to be made very 
hot. Many people were afraid of such a horrible punishment as 
being thrown into the furnace; and when they heard the music, 
they made haste to bow down before the great golden image. 

But the Jews knew that they must not worship idols; so 
what could they do? I only know what three of them did. They 
were three young men, named Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed- 
nego, who were brought up before the king, because they would 
not bow down before his great image. The king asked them how 
it was; and told them fiercely that if they would not worship 
his golden image, they must be thrown into the fire. 

233 





W/tLKEST 

F ll 



But they stood up boldly, and said, 
"Our God whom we serve is able to 
deliver us from the burning fiery fur- 
nace, and He will deliver us out of 
thine hand, King ! But if not, be it 
known unto thee, King, that we will 
not serve thy gods, nor worship the 
golden image which thouhast setup." 
The king was very angry at this 
brave answer. He had the furnace 

made seven times hotter than usual; and Shadrach, 

Meshach, and Abed-nego were thrown into it, tied 

hand and foot ; and the flame was so hot, that it burnt 

the men that threw them in. 

Presently, the king gave a loud cry. For in the midst 

of the fire were the men, not tied, but free, and walking 

in the burning heat, as if they were in cool spring air ! 

And there was another with 

them, whose form was the 

Son of God. Then he called 

them, and the three came out. f 

There was no smell 

about them, and 

not a hair of 

their heads was 

singed; they 

had not felt the 

heat at all; but 

that Holy One 

had taken care 




234 



DANIEL AT BABYLON. 235 

of them, and had kept them safe in the midst of the 
fire. 

Then the king of Babylon knew how wrong he had been; 
and he sent forth a command, that no one should ever speak a 
word against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, who 
had saved them in the burning fiery furnace. 

QUESTIONS. 
1. Where were the Jews living? 2. How came the Jews to be at Babylon? 
3. What did the king of Babylon want everyone to worship? 4. Who would not 
worship the golden image? 5. Why would not Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed- 
nego worship the image. 6. What is the Second Commandment? 7. What was 
done to them for not worshipping the image ? 8. What is a furnace ? 9. How 
hot was it made? 10. What did the king see in the fire? 11. Who was with 
him? 12. Were they hurt? 13. Why did not the fire burn Shadrach, Mesh- 
ach, and Abed-nego? 14. Who took care of them in the fire? 

SECOND READING. 

" Those that walk in pride He is able to abase." — Daniel If. : 87. 

REAT Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, had a 
strange dream. He thought he saw a great tree with 
spreading branches and fine leaves, making a sweet 
shelter, where all the creatures came and stood, 
and the birds nestled in the boughs; but while he 
was admiring it there came a holy one down from 
heaven, and said the tree was to be cut down, and only the stump 
left in the tender grass of the field, and that it should be bound 
with iron, and wet with the dew of heaven till seven years had 
passed over it. 

When Nebuchadnezzar woke he was troubled, and was sure 
the dream had a meaning, and he sent for the prophet Daniel 
to tell him what it was. Daniel was so sorry, that at first he 
could hardly bear to speak; but at last he told the king that it 
was himself, Nebuchadnezzar, that the tree meant. 




236 DANIEL AT BABYLON. 

He was great and mighty, and countries and people were 
shadowed over by his power; but soon he would have a fall — 
he would lose his senses, and his man's heart would be like a 
beast's heart, and he would be driven out of his palace, and he 
would eat grass like an ox, and his body would be wet with the 
dew of heaven, and his hair would be long like eagles' feathers, 
and his nails like eagles' claws, till seven years had passed by; 
and then he would recover his senses, and know and understand 
again, and he would come back to his kingdom again. Then he 
would know and own that the Lord of Heaven is the true God. 

THOUGHT THAT NOTHING COULD HURT HIM. 

Nebuchadnezzar was shocked at first, but soon he forgot all 
about the dream, and felt himself so wise and strong and brave, 
that nothing could hurt him. He was walking one day in his 
palace, a most beautiful one, and looking out on the grand city 
with the river running through it, with all the bridges and the 
hundred brazen gates; and his heart was lifted up with pride, 
and he said, "Is not this great Babylon that I have builded?" 
That very moment there came a voice from heaven that said the 
time was come! 

And a strange madness came on the king, his brave clever 
spirit became as senseless as a beast's; and he only wanted to 
graze in the field like the cattle. So they drove him out of the 
palace, and put a band of iron round him, and let him eat grass 
like an ox, and his hair grew long and shaggy, and his nails like 
eagles' claws, just as Daniel had said. 

So seven years passed away; and at the end of them he 
came to his senses again, God gave back his man's heart and his 
reason, and he went back to his palace, and sat on his throne 
again. And one of the first things he did was to have a letter 
written to his people, telling them all this story, and bidding 



DANIEL AT BABYLON. 237 

them do honor to the God of Daniel, who putteth down and 

setteth up. 

QUESTIONS. 

1. Who was Nebuchadnezzar? 2. Who was Daniel ? 3. How came Daniel 
to be at Babylon ? 4. What did the king see in his dream ? 5. What happened 
to the tree? 6. What did the king want to know? 7. Whom did he send for? 
8. Whom did Daniel say the tree meant? 9. What was to happen to the king? 
10. How long was he to be in this state? 11. What beautiful place had Nebu- 
chadnezzar built? 12. What did he say about it? 13. What happened that 
moment? 14. What did this poor king want to be? 15. What did he eat? 
1G. What was his hair like? 17. What were his nails like ? 18. How long did 
he go on like that? 18. What did God restore to him? 20. What was the first 
thing he did? 21. What did he tell the people? 22. Had not he lost all his 
pride? 23. What should we not boast of? 

THIRD READING. 

"God hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it." — Daniel 5 : 6. 

FTER Nebuchadnezzar, some troublesome times began 
at Babylon; but at last his grandson Belshazzar was 
reigning. He was a foolish, self-pleasing young man ; 
and his enemies, the great nation of Medes and 
Persians, came to make war on him, but still he did 
not care for anything but his amusement. 

He thought Babylon so strong that they could never break 
in ; and he gave a great feast to all his lords, with fine meats and 
wines, and he had all the gold and silver bowls, and the golden 
candlestick that had been brought out of the Temple of God at 
Jerusalem, on the tables, while he and his friends were drinking 
and singing and shouting. 

All on a sudden a stillness came over them, and their eyes 
opened wide with fright. For just over the candlestick there was 
seen a man's hand. There was no body, only the hand ; and the 
finger went along writing on the wall, tracing out letters. 

There were four words, but no one could read them or tell 
what they meant. 




238 DANIEL AT BABYLON. 

The king was terribly frightened. His knees knocked 
together, and he shook all over, and he called for some one to 
tell him what this writing could be. Nobody could guess; but 
at last the queen, his mother, came and put him in mind how 
Daniel had been able to explain his father's dreams. So Daniel 
was sent for, and he at once read the writing. He told them 




DANIEL INTERPRETING THE WRITING ON THE WALL.— Dan. 5: 25-28. 

Belshazzar was found wanting. His kingdom was going to be 
taken from him, and given to the Medes and Persians. 

And even then, all the time the Babylonians were feasting 
and not watching the enemy, Cyrus, the clever king of the 
Persians, was making his men dig ditches, into which he turned 
all the water of the great river that ran through the city; and that 
very night all his army came in, walking up the dry bed of the 
stream. No one saw them till they were in the city.; and that 
very night Belshazzar was slain. 



DANIEL AT BABYLON. 



239 



QUESTIONS. 
1. Who was king of Babylon ? 2. Who made war on Belshazzar? 3. What 

was all he cared for? 4. What feast did he make? 5. What were brought out? 
G. What frightened him? 7. What was the hand doing? 8. What could no 
one understand ? 9. Who spoke up? 10. Who was sent for? 11. What did 
Daniel say it meant? 12. What happened that night? 13. How did the Per- 
sians get in ? 14. Who was king of the Persians ? 15. Why did Belshazzar 
come to such a sad end ? 




CHART OF THE COUNTRY ROUND BABYLON, WITH LIMITS OF THE 

ancient city. (According to Oppert). 



ftbtrt^-eiobtb Sunba^ 



THE RETURN FROM BABYLON. 

FIRST READING. 

"The Lord is in His holy Temple : let all the earth keep silence before 
Him."— Hab. 2: 20? 

HE Jews had gone back to their 
old city of Jerusalem, but they 
found it looking very sad and 
ruinous. The walls were broken 
down, and the pleasant houses 
were heaps of ruins, and grass 
and brambles had come up in 
the courts, and there were 
heaps of stone blackened with 
the fire and smoke that had 
burnt down the city. 

The first thing they did 
was to clear the place where God's holy Temple used to stand, 
and to build it up again. But they were not rich and powerful 
like King Solomon, who built the first Temple; they had no gold 
and silver, and the new Temple they built was very small and 
poor compared with the old one. 

There were old men among them who remembered the first 
Temple as it used to be, and they wept aloud as they saw how 
different the new one was; but there were young men who were 
very glad to have a Temple at all, and they shouted for joy; so 
there was a mixed sound of weeping for sorrow and of crying 
out with joy. 

240 




THE RETURN" FROM BABYLON. 



241 



Then God sent His Prophet Haggai to tell the old men not to 
be afraid, for the glory of this latter House should be greater 
than that of the former. The way this should be was that our 
Blessed Lord Himself would come to the new Temple, as a little 
Babe at first and afterwards as a grown Man; and when He 
was there, the honor and glory of the Temple would be greater 




RETURN OF THE JEWS FROM CAPTIVITY. -Ezra i : 5. 

than ever it was before. Now there is no one Temple : but God's 
Houses are Churches, and we have them everywhere to pray to 
Him in, and meet Him there though we cannot see Him. Let 
us take care to worship Him there very humbly and reverently. 

QUESTIONS. 

1. Where did the Jews return to? 2. What state was their city in? 3. 
What had they to do to their city? 4. What did they first build up ? 5. What 
sort of Temple did they build ? 6. Why was the new Temple not so fine as the 
old one? 7. What did the old people do ? 8. What did the young people do? 
9. How did God comfort the old people? 10. Who would come to the new 
Temple? 11. Is there a Temple now ? 12. What have we instead ? 13. How 
should we behave in church ? 

16-B.S. 




242 THE RETURN FROM BABYLON. 

SECOND READING 

" What doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justice, and to love mercy, 
and to walk humbly with thy God ? " — Micah 6 : 8. 

HE name of the leader of the Jews, when they came 

home from Babylon to their own country was 

Zerubabel. 

Zerubabel was their prince. He was of David's 

family, and he would have been king if the Jews had 

been allowed to have kings ; but he was contented to 

go back without the crown and throne and sceptre that his fathers 

had had before him, and to live humbly in obedience to the king 

of Babylon. 

ZERUBABEL' S GREAT DESIRE. 

That which Zerubabel cared to have was a little spot of 
ground among the mountains. It was the village of Bethlehem, 
the place from which David had been called away long ago, from 
feeding his father's sheep, to come and be king of Israel. Why 
should Zerubabel care for that little piece of ground more than 
for Solomon's palace, that was so glorious? One reason was, 
that the Prophet Micah had said, "But thou, Bethlehem-Ephratah, 
though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of 
thee shall ;He come forth unto Me that is to be Ruler in Israel ; 
whose goings have been from everlasting." 

And faithful men understood that this meant that the Saviour 
of the world should be born at Bethlehem, and that He would be 
among Zerubabel's children's children. That was why Zerubabel 
cared- so much for the poor little ruined village, and took care 
to make a home of it again, though now there were only a hundred 
and twenty-three people to come back to live in it. God was 
pleased with Zerubabel's faith, and blessed him because he had 
not despised the day of small things. 

God said that to Zerubabel a mountain should become a 



THE RETURN FROM BABYLON. 



243 



plain — that is, that what seemed most difficult should grow easy, 
and that Zerubabel should be the man who should build up the 
Temple again — God's own House, that was lying in ruins. That 
was the great honor this good man had, because he believed in 
God's promise with all his heart, and went so bravely and steadily 
to work upon a little, when he could not do a great deal. For to 
him that is faithful in a little shall much be given. 




BUILDING OF THE NEW TEMPLE.— Ezra 3: 10. 



QUESTIONS. 

1. Who was Zerubabel? 2. "Where were the Jews coming back from? 3. 
What had ZerubabePs fathers been? 4. Why was not Zerubabel a king? 5. 
Who was the father of the kings of the Jews? 6. What had David been before 
he was a king? 7. Where did he keep his sheep? 8. What was the place Zeru- 
babel cared to have again? 9. Why did Zerubabel care for Bethlehem? 10. 
Who was to be born there? 11. Who had said so? 12. What did Zerubabel 
believe? 13. How many people went back to Bethlehem? 14. Did Zerubabel 
despise it for being small? 15. What did he think of? 16. Why did God bless 
him? 17. What did God say lie should build up? 18. What did God say dif- 
ficulties should be to him? 19. Do not things we have to do sometimes seem 




244 THE RETURN FROM BABYLON. 

like great mountains to get over? 20. But who can make them easy to us? 21. 
Only what must we do ourselves? 22. And what is the way to do great things 
well ? 23. What must we never despise ? 

THIRD READING. 

" Thy God whom thou servest continually, He will deliver thee." — Dan, 6 : 16. 

HERE was another king of Babylon, and his name 
was Darius. It was the strange, foolish way of his 
people to treat him as if he was a sort of a god, and 
more than man ; and one day his people came to him 
and begged him to make a law that for thirty whole 
days nobody should say their prayers to any god, or 
ask anything of any man, except of Darius the king; or if they 
did, they should be thrown to the lions, to be eaten up. 

Darius thought this was all to do him honor, so he made the 
law that thus it should be. Now when a law had once been made, 
by the king of that people, it could not be changed. So nobody was 
to say their prayers to anyone but the king for all that time. 

But by-and-by the king's people came and told him that there 
was one old man who did not attend to his law, but that they had 
watched him in his own room, and there he said his prayers three 
times a-day, just as if the king had made no law at all. 

The king was very sorry when he heard who it was, for this 
man who would not leave off saying his prayers was the man he 
trusted most in all the kingdom. It was Daniel, one of the captive 
Jews, son or brother to one of the last kings of Jerusalem. He 
had been taken to Babylon when he was a very little boy, and 
now he was quite an old man, but he had never ceased praying 
to the great God of Heaven, and he was not going to leave off now. 
He was a prophet of the Lord, and very wise, and he was one of 
the king's very best advisers, so Darius was greatly grieved when 
he was accused. 



THE RETURN FROM BABYLON. 



245 



But Darius could not help himself; the law that had once 
been made could not be broken, and these spiteful people declared 
that Daniel must be thrown to the lions. All day long the king 
tried to get his wise good counsellor saved from this dreadful 
fate, but he could not succeed; and at evening Daniel's enemies 
came to take him and throw him to the lions in their den. 

Still, though Darius was a heathen himself, he had one hope ; 




THE JEWISH CAPTIVES CONDUCTED BEFORE DARIUS. 



and when he saw his friend led away, he said, "Thy God whom 
thou servest continually, He will deliver thee." 

So they took Daniel, and put him into a pit among the lions, 
and they fastened up the door and left him there; and the king 
was so sorry, that he could not sleep all night for grieving for 
the good, wise, brave man who was thrown to the lions because 
he would not leave off praying to God, and feared God more 
than man. 

And when daylight came they all went to the den. The 



246 



THE RETURN FROM BABYLON. 



enemies hoped to find that Daniel was eaten up, but the king 
cried out in a lamentable voice, "0 Daniel, servant of the living 
God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver 
thee from the lions?" 

And Daniel's own voice came cheerfully back, and told the 
king that his God had sent His angel, who had shut the lions' 
mouths, so that they could not hurt him, and had kept him safe 
all night. 




DANIEL IN THE LION'S DEN.— Daniel 6 : 19, 22. 

And the king was very glad, and commanded them to take 
Daniel out of the pit, and to put the spiteful men in instead ; and 
the lions were so hungry that they brake all their bones in pieces 
before ever they came to the bottom of the den. 

Only think what Daniel was willing to bear rather than not 
say his prayers ! And it was because he prayed that God saved 
him. God's power shut the lions' mouths, because Daniel had 
been more afraid to leave off praying than even to be torn to 
pieces. How glad we should be that we can say our prayers 



THE RETURN FROM BABYLON. 



247 



safe and unhurt; and how careful we should be never to miss 
them out of idleness, if Daniel would not miss them out of fear. 

QUESTIONS. 

1. Where were the Jews living? 2. Who was king of Babylon? 3. What 
law was Darius persuaded to make? 4. Who was to be prayed to? 5. What 
was to be done to anybody who said prayers to any but Darius ? 6. Who did go 
on saying his prayers? 7. Who was Daniel? 8. What was done to Daniel? 
0. Did the lions hurt Daniel? 10. Why was Daniel kept safe in the den ? 11. 
Whom did Daniel fear most, God or men? 12. When should we say our prayers? 
13. Can anyone hurt us if God takes care of us? 




BABYLONIAN BRICK. 



Zhkt^ninth Sunba^ 




TROUBLES OF THE JEWS. 

FIRST READING. 

" Surely in vain the net is spread in the sight of any bird." — Prov. 1 : 17. 

THERE was a gentle 
Jewish girl, named 
Esther, who had been 
left an orphan very young, 
and was brought up by her 
kind relation, Mordecai, 
who was one of the Jews 
who had not gone back to 
Jerusalem, but still lived 
in Persia. 
One day there came a messenger from the king, to carry 
away poor Esther from home. The king wanted all the maidens 
in his land to be brought together, that he might choose the most 
beautiful of them all for his queen, and the others would be 
kept for slaves. 

All the other maidens dressed themselves up, and painted 
themselves to try to look beautiful; but Esther did not ask for 
any ornaments, she only put on what she was ordered to wear. 
Yet she looked so much the most lovely of all, in her modest 
quietness, that the king chose her and married her, and set the 
crown on her head, and made her his queen. 

But she had a sad life, though she was queen. She was 
always shut up, and could not see her kind friend Mordecai, and 
she could not even go to her husband without his leave, or she 
would have been put to death, 

248 




Her kinsman, Mordecai, 
used to sit in the palace gate 
every day, to hear news of 
her. Now, there was a very 
bad man named Haman, 
who used to pass by every day; and Mor- 
decai never would bow to him, because he 
was one of the people whom God had for- 
bidden the Jews to have any concern with. 
Haman grew so angry at last that he 
resolved not only to get Mordecai killed, 
but all the Jews besides. So he went to the 
king, and told him a false story about the 
Jews, and persuaded him to give orders 
that their enemies in all the lands round 
Jerusalem, and everywhere else, should 
fall on them on a set day, and put them 
to death. 

And the king was so foolish and so 
cruel as to consent to seal the letters, 
saying that all the Jews were to be 
killed on one day. But Mordecai 
r heard about this cruel plot, and he 
sent secret word to Esther that she 
must try to save her people, by tell- 
ing the king that he had 
been deceived by Haman. 

Poor Esther was much 
afraid. She knew that if 
she went to the king without 



249 



250 



TROUBLES OF THE JEWS. 



leave, she would be put to death; but she thought it was better 
for her to run the risk, than to let all the Jews perish. So she 
dressed herself beautifully, as the king liked best to see her; and 
she went to his court almost fainting with fear. 

But when he saw her, he touched her with his golden sceptre. 
Then she knew he would not put her to death ; and when he asked 




QUEEN ESTHER CROWNED.— Esther 2 : 17. 

why she had come, and what she wanted, she said she wished to 
ask him to a banquet of wine in her chamber. 

And when he came there, she was able to tell him of the 
cruel plan for killing all her people, and how falsely Haman had 
spoken. The king was very angry when he understood it all; 
and wicked Haman was hung upon the very gallows he had meant 
for Mordecai. And so the Jews were saved by the good queen, 
who was not afraid to risk her life for her people. 

QUESTIONS. 

1. Where were some of the Jews living? 2. What was the name of the Jew 
girl ? 3. What was the name of her kinsman ? 4. How did the king choose his 
wife? 5. Who was the most beautiful woman ? 6. W T here did Mordecai sit? 



TROUBLES OF THE JEWS, 



251 



7. To whom would not Mordecai bow? 8. What did Hainan want to do? 9. 
Who consented ? 10. Why was it dangerous for Esther to go and speak to the 
king? 11. What did the kiug do when he saw her? 12. What did holding out 
the sceptre mean? 13. What did she ask him? 14. What did she tell him? 
15. What was done to Hainan? 16. How were the Jews saved? 




TRIUMPH OF MORDECAI.— Esther 6 : n. 



SECOND READING. 



" Thy servants think upon her stones, and it pitieth them to see her in the 
dust."-— Ps. 102: U. 

HERE was a good Jew named Nehemiah, whom the 
King of Persia had made his cup-bearer. One day 
one of the Jews came from Jerusalem, and told 
Nehemiah how sad all was at their home, the city 
that once had been so beautiful. There was a little 
bit of the Temple built up, but all the streets were 

heaps of ruins, and only a house or two here and there built up ; 

and the robber tribes round were always breaking in and doing 

mischief. 

Nehemiah wept, and prayed to God for his people ; and when 




252 



TROUBLES OF THE JEWS. 



he went in to wait on the king and queen, he still looked so sad, 
that they asked him what was the matter. Then he told them 
that he had just heard that his dear home, where his fathers' 
tombs were, was lying waste, and that the cruel enemies were 
always doing harm; and he begged the king to let him go home 
and try to help them. 




NEHEMIAH ARMETH THE LABORERS -Neh. 4: 16, 17. 

So the king gave him leave, but set him a time to come back ; 
and Nehemiah went all the long way to Jerusalem. It was quite 
as bad as he had heard. The houses were all down, only here 
and there one standing; and when he went out on his ass at 
night to view the ruins, there was a heap of stones where a gate 
should be, and a hole where a wall should be. 

So Nehemiah stirred up all the Jews, and they set to work 
to build the wall to keep out the robbers. Then the enemies 
laughed at them, and said a fox could break down all they built; 
and when they went on, people used to come and attack them, 
so that they had to work with swords ready to fight, and always 



TROUBLES OF TTTE JEWS. 253 

on the watch to come to help if they heard a trumpet blown. But 
they kept on, and the wall was built and the gates set up ; and they 
were safe once more from enemies coming in among them. 

QUESTIONS. 

1. Who was Nehemiah? 2. Wliat made him sad? 3. Who were living at 
Jerusalem? 4. What had happened to it? 5. What did Nehemiah do when he 
heard this sad news? 6. How did God begin to grant his prayer? 7. What 
did the king ask him? 8. What did he tell the king? 9. Where did he go? 10. 
What did he find there ? 11. Why did they want a wall ? 12. What did he set 
the Jews to do? 13. How did they build ? 14. W r ho tormented them ? 15. 
But what was finished at last ? 

THIRD READING. 

" The joy of the Lord is your strength." — Prov. 5 : 17. 

OOD Nehemiah built up the wall of Jerusalem; and 
his friend Ezra did all he could to teach the Jews 
to keep the Law of God rightly. It was Ezra who 
gathered together the five books of Moses, and 
collected the writings of the prophets, and wrote out 
the history of the kings, and put nearly all the Old 
Testament in order as we have it now. 

And Ezra and Nehemiah took care to teach the people to 
keep the Sabbath again, as the Fourth Commandment had taught 
them. Nehemiah used to have the gates of the city shut up, that 
no stranger might bring any burthen in, and that no one might 
come in to sell or buy on God's holy day. 

And then they kept the Feast of the Tabernacles. It was 
a most beautiful feast. All the people went and cut down great 
boughs of myrtle, olive, pine, and citron, and willow trees, and 
built up arbors with them, where they lived for seven whole days, 
to put them in mind of how their fathers had lived when they 
came out of Egypt. 

And on the great day of the feast, every Jew went up to the 




254 



TROUBLES OF THE JEWS. 



Temple with a green bough in his arm, and stood in the court, 
and all the priests came out on the steps with palm-branches, 
and with silver trumpets. Then the trumpets were sounded, 
and everybody waved their branches for joy. And the priests 
began a beautiful rejoicing psalm, and at its most joyful verses 
the people waved their palms again. 




A SOLEMN FAST AND REPENTANCE OF THE PEOPLE.-Neh. 9: 1, 2. 

At night all the court of the Temple was lighted up with 
great lamps, to put the people in mind that the Lord is our light. 
How beautiful it must have been, and how happy all the people 
were to have come back from worshipping idols, and being pun- 
ished in a strange land, to praise their own true God once more, 
who blessed and made them happy. 

QUESTIONS. 

1. Who were the two good men who governed the Jews? 2. W 7 hat did Ezra 
collect together? 3. W T ho taught good men how to write the Bible? 4. What 
parts of the Bible did Ezra put together? 5. What commandment were Ezra 
and Nehemiah careful about? 6. How did they keep people from breaking the 
Fourth Commandment? 7. What great feast did they keep? 




THE COMING OF THE LORD. 

FIRST READING. 

"The fulness of the time was come." — Gal. 1^: l^.. 

THERE was a long time after the 
Jews came home during which we 
do not know much about them. 
Only they had quite left off worshipping 
idols, and stood out bravely when a bad 
king wanted to make them do so. 

But they were not good in other 
ways. They quarrelled among them- 
selves a great deal. One set, who were 
called Pharisees, were very proud and 
hard-hearted; and another set, who 
were called the Sadducees, would not 
believe or obey any of the Bible that 
was written after the time of Moses — none of the Prophets nor 
of the Psalms. 

These two sets quarrelled so much that they allowed a fierce 

strange nation to come in and make themselves their masters. 

These were the Romans, whose city was Rome, in Italy. They 

were fierce soldiers, and wanted to make the world all their own. 

One of their generals, whose name was Pompey, was so 

255 




THE COMING OF THE LORD. 




THE ANGEL APPEARS UNTO ZACHARIAS.— Luke i : 12, 13. 




THE ANGEL APPEARS UNTO MARY.— Luke 1: 35- 



256 




THE STAR OF BETHLEHEM 



THE COMING OF THE LORD. 



257 



daring that he forced his way into the Holy of Holies, where no 
one was allowed to go but the High Priest once a-year. He was 
disappointed to find nothing there, only an empty chamber, 
without any image or likeness ; and the Jews were much grieved 
and distressed. It was always said that nothing ever went well 
with Pompey afterwards. 




JfclS*^ 



THE PROPHECY OF ELIZABETH AND OF MARY.-Luke i : 39~45- 

QUESTIONS. 

1. What sin had the Jews left off? 2. But were they grown good? 2. Who 
were the two parties ? 4. What was amiss with the Pharisees ? 5. What would 
not the Sadducees believe ? 6. What came of their quarrels ? 7. What sort of 
people were the Romans? 8. Where was their home? 9. What did they want 
to conquer? 10. Where did their general make his way? 11. What was the 
Holy of Holies ? 12 What did he find there? 13. Why was there no image 
there? 14. What commandment forbids the worshipping any image ? 15. Who 
alone was allowed to go into the holy place? 16. How often. 17. What was 
said of Pompey after he broke in ? 



17-B.S. 




258 



THE COMING OF THE LORD. 



SECOND READING. 

" He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest. — Luke 1 : 32. 

HE Romans set up a strange king over the Jews. His 
name was Herod, and he was an Edomite — that is, 
a descendant of Jacob's brother Esau. He believed 
in the true God, and began to make the Temple much 
more beautiful than it had been since it had been 
built up after the Jews came back from Babylon. 
But he was a very wicked and cruel man, who killed his own wife, 





THE BIRTH OF JOHN.— Luke i: 62-64. 

and made everybody afraid of him; and the Jews were very 
unhappy under him. 

They had one hope, and that was, that it was just about the 
time when God had promised to send a Holy One into the world 
to save them and set them free; and they thought He would be 
a great, mighty king, like David, who would conquer Herod, and 
drive away the Romans, and have a crown and throne brighter 
than Solomon's. 



THE COMING OF TILE LORD. 



259 



And just then an angel was sent from God to the little town 
of Nazareth, where there lived a young maiden, quite a poor 
woman, but most good and holy, a descendant of the great King 
David. The angel told her that she was highly favored, for she 
was to be the mother of the Son of the Highest, for the Holy One 
who was to be born of her should be the Son of God; and when 
He was born, she was to call His name Jesus, which means the 




THE ANGEL ANNOUNCING THE BIRTH OF JESUS.-Luke 2 : 10, 11. 

Lord our Saviour, because He should save His people from their 
sins; and Mary said, "Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it 
unto me according to thy word." 



QUESTIONS. 

1. Whom did the Romans make king of the Jews? 2. What nation did 
Herod belong to? 3. Who was the forefather of the Edomites? 4. Whose son 
was Esau? 5. What sort of man was Herod? 6. What did he do to please the 
Jews? 7. But how did he treat them? 8. Whom did he put to death? 9. 
What were the Jews hoping for ? 10. Who had promised that Holy One ? 11. 
What did the Jews think He would be ? 12. Who came to say He was coming 



260 



THE COMING OF THE LORD. 



at last? 13. To whom was the angel sent? 14. What was her name? 15. 
Where did he live? 16. What did the angel tell her? 17. Who would be 
born of her? 18. Whose Son would He be ? 19. What was she to call Him? 
20. What does Jesus mean ? 21. What did she answer? 




THE BIRTH OF JESUS.— Luke 2: 10, 12, 



THIRD READING. 

" Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men." 
Lake 2: H. 

HE blessed Virgin Mary lived at Nazareth; but it was 

God's will that the holy Son of God should be born at 

Bethlehem, the little town where David used to live 

and keep his sheep. The Romans sent out orders that 

everyone should go to their proper home to have their 

names set down, and pay a piece of money. 

So the Virgin Mary had to go, with a good man named 

Joseph, a carpenter, who was to be her husband. Such a number 

of people had come there that there_ was no room for them in the 




THE COMING OF THE LORD. 261 

inn, and they had to go to a stable — a cavern underground — 
where the oxen and asses were. 

And it was there that the Holy Child of Mary, the Son of God, 
was born, in the stable where the cattle were. The blessed mother 
wrapped Him in baby-clothes, and laid Him in the manger, among 
the hay and straw. 







THE BIRTH OF JESUS PROCLAIMED BY THE SHEPHERDS.-Luke 2 : 17. 

None of the people in the inn knew or cared ; but there were 
shepherds on the hill, keeping watch over their flocks by night. 
The angels came down to them, and told them that to them was 
born that day, in the city of David, a Saviour, which is Christ the 
Lord, and that He was a Babe lying in a manger. 

As soon as the angel had said that, many other angels, who 
were very glad that poor men below should be saved, all began 
to sing, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good- 
will toward men." 

So the angels and the shepherds kept the Saviour's birthday, 
and we keep it upon Christmas-day. 



262 



THE COMING OF THE LORD. 




PRESENTATION IN THE TEMPLE.— Luke 2 : 27, 28. 

QUESTIONS. 

1. What was David's town? 2. But where did the blessed Virgin Mary live? 
3. How came she to go to Bethlehem? 4. Where had she to rest? 5. Why 
could she not go to the inn? 6. Who was born in the stable? 7. Where was 
He laid? 8. Who were told of it? 9. Who told the shepherds? 10. What 
did the angels sing? 11. Why were they glad ? 12. Why are we glad? 13. 
What is the birthday of our Lord ? 




jFort^first 5unba\>. 




THE CHILDHOOD OF OUR LORD. 

FIRST READING. 

rr We have seen His star in the east and are come to worship Him." — Matt. 2: 2, 

HE shepherds were not the only people 
who came to see the blessed Lord Jesus 
when He was a little Infant. Far away 
in the East, God showed a bright, beau- 
tiful star to some wise men, and taught 
their hearts that it was the sign that 
the great King was born. 

They set out on their journey to 
Judea, to see and honor Him ; and when 
they came, they asked, "Where is He that is born King of the 
Jews, for we have seen His star in the East, and are come to 
worship Him." 

This made Herod afraid, for he thought this must be a king 
who would take his kingdom from him. He made the learned 
men among the Jews look out in the prophecies where Christ 
should be born. 

They found it was to be at Bethlehem, and he told the wise 
men so, and desired them to let him know when they found the 
King, that he might come and worship Him too; but he did not 
really mean to worship Him, but to kill Him. 

However, God Himself showed these wise men where to find 
our blessed Lord, for the same star that they had seen in the East 
came out again, and went before them, and came and stood over 
where the young Child was. And though they saw a little Baby, 

263 



264 



THE CHILDHOOD OF OUR LORD. 



and a poor mother holding Him in her arms, they knew He was 
the Lord and King; and they worshipped Him, and offered Him 
the gifts they had brought. 

There was gold, and there was frankincense, which means 
the sweet-smelling, costly powder that was burnt in the Temple ; 
and myrrh, which is a precious gum which comes out of trees, 
and is used to preserve and keep things good. 



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THE VISIT OF THE WISE MEN.— Matt. 2: 10, 11. 



QUESTIONS. 
1. Who came to see our Lord? 2. Where did they come from? 3. What 
4. What did they ask? 5. Whom did they ask? 6. What 
7. Did he want to worship? 8. What did he want to do? 9. 
How did the wise men find the way? 10. Whom did they see? 11. What did 
they offer Him? 12. What were the gifts? 13. What is frankincense? 14. 
What is myrrh? 15. Why did they worship Him? 



had they seen? 
did Herod say ? 



THE CHILDHOOD OF OUR LORD. 



265 




SECOND READING. 

"Arise, and take the young child and His mother." — Matt. 2: 13. 

EROD was afraid that the new-born King of the Jews 
would take away his kingdom. So he meant to kill 



Him as soon as he could find out from the wise men 
where He was. But the wise men never came back 
to tell him, for God spoke to them in a dream, and 
warned them to go back to their own country another way. 




JOSEPH COMMANDED TO FLEE INTO EGYPT.— Matt. 2 : 13. 

And God also spoke to Joseph the carpenter, the blessed 
Virgin Mary's husband, and told him to take the young Child and 
His mother, and flee into the land of Egypt, and stay there till 
they should be told to come back, for Herod was seeking the young 
Child to destroy Him. Joseph obeyed, and the whole family fled 
into Egypt, and lived there for some years. 

When Herod found the wise men did not come, he was very 
angry; and to make sure of killing Him who was to be King of the 



266 THE CHILDHOOD OF OUR LORD. 

Jews, he was so cruel and wicked as to cause all the babies in 
Bethlehem, of two years old and under, to be put to death. 

We call them the Holy Innocents, because they were the 
first who died for Jesus Christ's sake. It seemed very sad then, 
but they have been happy and glorious ever since in heaven, and 




THE FLIGHT INTO EGYPT.— Matt. 2: 14, 15. 

always will be. But God had taken care of Him, and He was 
safe in Egypt; and there they stayed till our Lord was about three 
years old, and then the wicked King Herod died. 

QUESTIONS. 

1. What did Herod want to do ? 2. Why could he not find our blessed Lord? 
3. Who warned the wise men? 4. Whom did Herod murder? 5. What do we 
call those Babes of Bethlehem? 6. But whom did he not find? 7. For where 
was our Lord? 8. Who had takeu Him there? 9. Who was Joseph? 10. 
How did Joseph know He was to go to Egypt? 




THE CHILDHOOD OF OUR LORD. 



267 



THIRD READING. 

"Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man." — 
Luke 2: 52. 

HEN Herod died, Joseph brought our blessed Lord 
and His mother back from Egypt, and went to 
live at Nazareth. We do not know any more 
about Him till He was twelve years old, and then 
He went up with Joseph and His mother to Jeru- 
salem to keep the Feast of the Passover. That 
great feast the Jews always kept in remembrance of the night 
when God delivered them out of their troubles in Egypt. 





KILLING THE MALE CHILDREN UNDER TWO YEARS OLD.— Matt. 2 : 16. 

When the time came for going home, the blessed Mary and 
Joseph could not find the Child Jesus. They thought at first that 
He was among the other boys of the company who had come up 
from Nazareth, and they went on a day's journey; but when He 
did not come back to them in the evening, they turned back to 
Jerusalem to seek Him. They looked for Him during three days 



268 



THE CHILDHOOD OF OUR LORD. 



all round the city, and found Him at last in the Temple, among 
the boys who came to be taught by the learned men there. 

Everybody who listened was astonished at His under- 
standing and His answers; but when His mother came to call 
Him, He went home with her directly; and He obeyed her and 
Joseph in everything, and helped and worked for them, though 
He was really their God and King. 




JESUS TEACHING IN THE TEMPLE.— Luke 2 : 46, 47. 

That was to teach us all how good children should behave at 
home to their fathers and mothers, for Joseph was like a father 
to Him, though His real Father is God. And as He grew older He 
lived on with them, and worked as a carpenter with them till He 
was thirty years old. So, you see, He knows just what it is to be 
one of us, and a poor hard-working man. For God from heaven 
came to be one of us men, and just like us. 

QUESTIONS. 

1. When did our blessed Lord come back from Egypt? 2. Where did He go 
and live ? 3. How old was He when we hear about Him again ? 4. Where did 



THE CHILDHOOD OF OUR LORD. 



269 



He go then? 5. What feast did they go to? 6. What was the Passover to put 
people in mind of? 7. What happened when it was time to go home? 8. How 
long was He lost ? 9. Where was He found ? 10. What was He doing there? 
11. What was everyone surprised at? 12. What did He do when He was called? 
13. How can you do like Him when you are called from what you like? 14. 
How did He always behave to His mother and Joseph? 15. How can you try 
to be like Him ? 




jfort^-seconb Sunba\>. 



THE PREPARATION FOR THE MINISTRY. 

FIRST READING. 

"Repeat ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." — Matt. 3: 2. 

HE blessed Lord Jesus lived at Naza- 
reth, and worked there as a carpen- 
ter until He was thirty years old, so 
that He has felt how we live here, and 
knows what our feelings and ways 
are by trying them. 

When it was nearly time for Him 
to begin to set up His kingdom, a holy 
man was sent to make ready for 
Him. This man's name was John, 
and he lived out in the rocky and 
bushy country on the bank of the 
river Jordan, dressed in a coarse garment woven of earners hair, 
and living on the locusts and wild honey he found there. 

He stood there telling everyone who came that the kingdom 
of God was going to begin, and that those who wished to belong 
to it must repent and give up their sins. All who would feel and 
own their sins he took down to the river and bathed and washed 
them, to show how some day they would have their souls washed, 
just as their bodies were washed now. 

This washing was called baptising, and he is always called 
John the Baptist; but he always told the people that there was 
One coming who was greater than he was, and that this Holy 
One would baptise them with the Holy Ghost and with fire. 

270 




THE PREPARATION FOR THE MINISTRY 



271 



QUESTIONS. 
1. How long did oar blessed Lord live at Nazareth? 2. What did He do 
there? 3. Who was sent to prepare His way ? 4. Where did John live? 5. 
What did he wear? 6. What did he eat? 7. What are locusts? 8. What did 
he tell the people? 9. What were they to be sorry for? 10. What is repenting? 
11. What did he do to those who repented? 12. In what river did he wash 
them? 13. What was this washing called? 14- What was he called? 15. 
Who did he say was coming? 16. How would that One baptize them? 




JOHN THE BAPTIST PREACHING IN THE WILDERNESS.— Matt. 3: 2, 8. 

SECOND READING. 

"This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." — Matt 8: 17. 

NE day, as John was baptising, Jesus came to him, 
and desired to be baptised. His mother and John's 
mother were cousins, and John knew He had never 
done one wrong thing in all His life, and had nothing 
to repent of. So he said, "I have need to be baptised 
of Thee, and comest Thou to me?" Then Jesus 

answered, "Suffer it to be so now, for thus it becometh us to fulfil 

all righteousness. 




272 



THE PREPARATION FOR THE MINISTRY. 



Then John baptised Him; and as they were coming up out 
of the water, the heaven above was opened, and there came God 
the Holy Ghost, taking a shape like a dove, and rested upon the 
Head of Jesus, and there was God the Father's voice speaking 
out of heaven, and saying, "This is My Beloved Son, in whom I 
am well pleased." 

Then John the Baptist knew that Jesus was the Son of 
God, and the great King whose way he had been sent to prepare. 




THE BAPTISM OF JESUS —Mark i : 9. 

And this was the beginning of baptism, or christening, as 
we call it. We are all baptised into the name of the Father, the 
Son, and the Holy Ghost, and made to belong to Jesus Christ. 

QUESTIONS. 

1. Who was John the Baptist? 2. Where did he baptize? 3. Who came to 
him to be baptized ? 4. What relation was the blessed Virgin to his mother ? 
5. What did he say? 6. Why did he say so? 7. What was the answer? 8. 
What happened . after the baptism? 9. Who came down from heaven? 10. 
Who spoke from heaven? 11. What did God the Father's voice say? 12. 
What did John know then? 13. Whose Son is Jesus? 14. How had John 
been preparing His way ? 




CHRIST IN THE MANGER, 



THE PREPARATION FOR THE MINISTRY, 



273 



THIRD READING. 

" Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God." — Matt. 4, : 7. 

UR Lord Jesus had come into the world to conquer the 
Devil, to whom Eve had given power over it when 
she ate the fruit. 

So He went up into a lonely place in the wilder- 
ness, that He might meet the Devil, and stand up 
against all the temptations that had led Eve astray. 
He was there forty days, with nothing to eat ; and the Devil came 





THE TEMPTATION OF JESUS.— Matt. 4: 10, 11. 

and said, "If Thou be the Son of God, command that these stones 
be made bread." But He would not do it at Satan's word; and so 
as Eve fell by eating, He stood by resisting hunger. 

Then the Devil showed Him all the kingdoms of the world, 
and the glory of them, in one moment of time, and said, "All 
these things will I give Thee, if Thou wilt fall down and worship 
me." But though Eve had been tempted by seeing the beauty 

18-B.S. 



274 THE PREPARATION FOR THE MINISTRY. 

of the fruit, our Lord was not led astray by all the glory and 
beauty of this world. So He conquered again. 

Then He stood with Satan on the top of a high wall, with a 
precipice below; and Satan tempted Him to cast Himself down, 
so that the angels should come round and bear Him up, and all 
might see He was the Son of God. It was just as Satan had told 
Eve, that she would be like a God if she ate the fruit ; and He said, 
"It is written, thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God." 

Satan left Him then for a time, and the angels came and 
waited on Him. That was the beginning of His victory over 
Satan and sin. And every one of us must fight our battle too. 
Whenever we are inclined to be naughty, Satan is tempting us, 
but we must try to be strong and drive him away ; and our Lord 
Jesus will help us if we only try, and will drive him away. 

QUESTIONS. 
1. What had our Lord come into the world for? 2. When had Satan become 
master of the world ? 3. Where did our Lord go ? 4. What was the first tempta- 
tion? 5. Why would not He make the stones into bread? 6. What was the 
second temptation? 7. What did Satan want Him to do? 8. What was the 
third temptation ? 9. Who would have come round Him? 10. Would He let 
them show that He was God? 11. What did He say to Satan? 12. What did 
Satan do? 13. Who came to wait on our Lord? 14. Who had been conquered? 




^fort^^tbtrb £unba\\ 



THE CALLING OF THE DISCIPLES. 

FIRST READING. 

"Behold the Lamb of God."— John 1: 36. 

^gTli^OW that John the Baptist knew that 
Jesus was, indeed, the Son of God, 
whom he had been sent to proclaim, he 
began to point Him out, saying, "Be- 
hold the Lamb of God, which taketh 
away the sin of the world." There 
were two poor fishermen, who had come 
out to listen to John, who heard, and 
who went to Jesus and asked, "Master, 
where dwellest Thou?" He said, "Come 
and see." 

Their names were Andrew and 
another John. They stayed all one 
night with Him, and saw and felt that 
He was so great and holy that no one else could be the Christ who 
had been promised to come and save the world; and John was 
always the nearest and best loved of all to Him. 

Andrew went and told his own brother Simon, whom our 
Lord named Peter, which means a rock; and they brought two 
more of their friends to see Him, whose names were Philip and 
Nathanael When Jesus saw Nathanael coming, He said, "Behold 
an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!" 

Nathanael asked how He could know him. Our Lord 

275 




276 THE CALLING OF THE DISCIPLES. 

answered, "Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under 
the fig tree, I saw thee." Then Nathanael said, "Thou art the 
Son of God; Thou art the King of Israel." For he had been alone 
under the fig tree, and nobody who was not God could have seen 
or known he was there ; and our Lord said that because he believed, 
he should see greater things than these. 




BEHOLD THE LAMB OF GOD,— John i : 36. 

QUESTIONS. 

1. Who had been sent to proclaim our Lord? 2. What did John the Baptist 
say of Him ? 3. Who were the two first who listened ? 4. What was their 
trade? 5. Who was the best loved of all? 6. Whom did Andrew fetch ? 7. 
What name was given to Simon? 8. What does Peter mean ? 9. What friends 
did they tell of our Lord? 10. What did our Lord say of Nathanael? 11. 
What does " without guile" mean? 12. What did Nathanael ask? 13. Why 
was he surprised? 14. What did our Lord say? 15. What was his answer? 
16. How did he know that Jesus was God? 17. Where can God see? 



THE CALLING OF THE DISCIPLES. 



277 



SECOND READING. 

" Thou hast kept the good wine until now." — John 2 : 10. 

ERSONS who loved to learn of a Master were called His 
disciples. So John and his brother James, Andrew 
and Simon Peter, Philip and his friend Nathanael, 
were all called our Lord's disciples. 

They were all invited to a wedding at Cana, the 
village in the hills where Nathanael lived ; and the blessed Virgin 








JESUS CALLING HIS DISCIPLES.— John i : 51. 

Mary, our Lord's mother, was there too. But the bride and bride- 
groom were poor people, and in the midst of the feast it turned 
out that there was not wine enough. The blessed Virgin said, 
in a low voice, to her Son, "They have no wine." 

Now, there were six great jars standing by, and Jesus told 
the servants to fill them with water. So they filled them up to 
the brim ; and then He told the servants to draw out some of what 
they had poured in, and carry it to the chief person there. 



278 THE CALLING OF THE DISCIPLES. 

As soon as this man had tasted it, he found it was such good 
wine that he said to the bridegroom that most people began their 
feasts with their best wine, but that here the best had been kept 
for the last. This was the first wonderful thing our Lord did on 
earth, and it made His disciples know that He was God, for no 
one else could have done such a wonder. 

We call these wonders miracles. Our Lord" worked many 




THE MIRACLE IN CANA.— John 2: 7, 8. 

more while He was on earth, and most of them were cures to the 
blind, or the lame, or the sick. He made them well directly by 
His power and love. 

QUESTIONS. 

1. What are disciples ? 2. Who were the first disciples ? 3. What feast did 
they go to ? 4. Where was the feast? 5. What was wanting at the feast? 6. 
What did our Lord's mother say? 7. What did He tell the servants to do? 8. 
How many waterpots were there? 9. What did the water become? 10. To 
whom was it carried? 11. What was said of it? 12. How came it to be wine? 
13. What is such a wonder called? 14. Why could our Lord do miracles? 15. 
What did they show ? 



THE CALLING OF THE DISCIPLES. 



279 



THIRD READING. 

" I will make you fishers of men." — Matt, 4 ■" 19. 

TOLD you Andrew and Peter and John were fishermen. 

They used to go fishing at night in boats, on the blue 

lake of Galilee, shut in between the high mountains. 

One night, they had been out in two boats, trying hard 

^y to catch fish, but none would come to their nets. 

In the morning, they saw Jesus standing on the 
bank, with a great crowd of people round Him, come to see and 





JESUS TEACHES NICODEMUS.-John 3 : 2, 3. 

hear His teaching. He called to Simon Peter to come and take 
Him into his boat, so that He could teach the people from thence 
without being crowded. 

When He had done speaking, He told Andrew and Peter to 
go out into the deeper water, and let down their nets. They said, 
"Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: 
nevertheless at Thy word I will let down the net." And instantly 



THE CALLING OF THE DISCIPLES. 




JESUS AND THE WOMAN OF SAMARIA.— John 4 : 25, 26. 




JESUS HEALS THE SICK OF THE PALSY.— Mark 2 : 4, 5- 



280 




HALLOWED -BE THY NAME 




CHRIST IN THE GARDEN OF CETHSEMME* 



sfif 



I THY WILL BE DON! IN EARTH AS IT IS IM HEAVEN 




THE AHSEt DELIVERING PETER FROM PRISON « I" T? CHRIST PROCLAIMING BEUVERAHGETBTHE CAPTIVES- 



;:: r ;:-::::.■ 



THE CALLING OF THE DISCIPLES. 281 

the net was so full of fishes, that Andrew and Peter could not 
draw it up without the help of John and his brother James, who 
was with him in his boat; and both boats were quite full of fish, 
and ready to sink with the weight. 

When the boats came to land, our Lord told the four disciples 
that they were to come with Him, for He would make them fishers 
of men, for they were to draw disciples to Him, instead of catching 
fish. They believed Him, and left all they had to follow Him, and 
they were always with Him — His dear friends who followed Him 
everywhere, and stored up His holy words in their hearts. 

QUESTIONS. 

1. What was the trade of the disciples ? 2. Where did they fish ? 3. How did 
they fish? 4. Who came to them? 5. What did he bid them do? 6. What 
had they been doing all night? 7. But what did they now let down ? 8. What 
did they find in their nets? 9. What were filled? 10. How came the fish there? 
11. What did our Lord call them to do? 12. What were they to be? 13. 
What did they leave ? 14. Who were these four ? 




3fort£-fourtb £unba\>* 



^D4Z 



THE MINISTRY. 

FIRST READING. 

" He went about doing good." — Acts 10 : 38. 

dill. %><&*% 

IMON PETER had a house at Caper- 
naum, which is one of the towns that 
stand upon the shore of the Lake of 
Galilee. There our Lord cured the 
mother of Peter's wife of a bad fever 
by His mighty power in one moment, 
and there He generally lived when He 
was in those parts ; but He never stayed 
long there, for He went about doing 
good. 
In every town or village that he came to, He 
used to go and teach in the synagogue. A syna- 
gogue was a place where the Jews who lived too 
far from Jerusalem to go to the Temple every 
Sabbath-day used to meet, and hear the Old Testa- 
ment read and explained to them, and pray together. 

Our Lord used to teach in the synagogues, and draw out all 
the meaning of the Law; and when He came out, all the sick 
people who were near, and all the blind and deaf and dumb people, 
were brought to Him, and He cured them all by only just 
touching them, or even only by bidding their disease to go away. 
For He was God as well as man, and could do all things. Or He 
would sit on the mountain side, and all the people would come 
round Him, and He would teach them. 

282 




THE MINISTRY. 




JESUS RAISES THE DAUGHTER OF JAIRUS.— Mark 5: 41,42. 




JESUS GIVES SIGHT TO THE TWO BLIND MEN.— Matt. 9 : 27, 28. 



283 



284 THE MINISTRY. 

There is one beautiful discourse of His, called the Sermon 
on the Mount, which I hope you will soon know well. And in it 
He taught his disciples the prayer we all say, and call the Lord's 
Prayer, and which we love the best of all prayers. 




SERMON ON THE MOUNT.— Matt. 5: 1-3. 

QUESTIONS. 

1. In whose house did our blessed Lord Jesus live ? 2. Where was Capernaum ? 
3. What had He done for Simon Peter's wife's mother ? 4. Where did He 
teach? 5. What is a synagogue? 6. When did the Jews go there ? 7. What 
did they do in the synagogue? 8. What did our Lord explain? 9. Whom did 
He cure? 10. Where did He sometimes teach? 11. What is one great discourse 
of His called? 12. What prayer did He give His disciples? 13. How does it 
begin? 14. When do we say it? 



jTr*maEEE 




11 ■» " ■■ ■ ■■ »» ' " — « 



THE MINISTRY. 




JESUS RAISES THE WIDOW'S SON.— Luke 7 : 14, 15. 




JESUS SLEEPS DURING THE STORM.— Matt. 8: 24, 25. 



285 



286 



THE MINISTRY. 



SECOND READING. 

" I have compassion on the multitude." — Matt. 15 : 32. 

UR Lord Jesus chose out twelve of His disciples to be 
always with Him, and to teach and work with Him, 
All the six you have heard of before were among 
them, and there was another called Matthew, who 
had been a rich man, but left all his riches to follow 
our Lord. These twelve were called apostles. 
I told you that the Jews were in two parties, called Pharisees 
and Sadducees, and they used to quarrel and have many bad 





SENDING FORTH THE TWELVE APOSTLES.— Matt, io : 5-7. 

ways. When they found that Jesus blamed them, they were 
very angry; and when He was called the Holy One whom God 
promised, they said that the Christ would be a great king, and 
that He was only pretending. But all the poor heard Him gladly ; 
and when He was driven out of the towns, they came after Him 



THE MINISTRY. 287 

into the hills and open places, and went everywhere they could 
to hear Him. 

One day, evening was coming on, and all these people had 
been with Him all day, and had nothing to eat. He said to Philip, 
"Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat?" Philip came 
from a village just below, but he did not know what to do. 

Andrew said there was a little boy there, who had brought 




DEATH OF JOHN THE BAPTIST.— Mark 6 : 27, 28. 



five loaves and two small fishes; but what would they be among 
so many? Indeed, the loaves were not like ours — only thin barley 
cakes. But our Lord said, "Make the men sit down." 

So they all sat on the grass ; and He gave thanks, and began 
to give out to the apostles the bread and the fish, and they never 
came to an end, but there was enough for all the five thousand; 
and when they had all done, He told the apostles to gather up the 
remains, that nothing might be lost. And there was enough to 
fill twelve great baskets. 



288 



THE MINISTRY. 




JESUS FEEDING THE FIVE THOUSAND.— John 6: io, n. 

QUESTIONS. 
1. How many disciples did our Lord choose? 2. What were they to be called ? 
3. What were the names of the first six? 4. Who was the rich man? 5. Who 
hated our Lord? 6. Why? 7. Wliy did they think He could not be Christ? 
8. Where was He driven from ? 9. Where did he go ? 10. Who came after 
Him? 11. What was all He had to feed them with ? 12. Who brought the five 
loaves and two fishes? 13. Where did they sit? 14. What did our Lord do 
first? 15. Who gave out the food ? 16. How much was left? 17. How many 
had eaten? 




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jorgive us our trespassers 
we forgive them that trespass 
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THE MINISTRY. 



289 



THIRD READING. 

" Be of good cheer ; it is I ; be not afraid." — Matt H : 27. 

HE people whom Jesus had fed wanted to make Him 

a king, but He would not be an earthly king; so He 

told the apostles to row away across the lake, while 

He went up alone into the hills to pray to His Father, 

where the people could not find Him. 

It was a rough night. The wind came down 
from the hills, and tossed the lake up in great waves; and the 





JESUS SUPPORTS THE SINKING PETER.— Matt. 14: 30,31. 

apostles rowed with all their might, but they made little way. 
But when the night was far on, they saw a Figure coming to 
them, walking on the waves. They were frightened, and cried 
out. Then the Figure said, "It is I; be not afraid !" and they 
knew it was their Master, and were glad. 

And Peter said, "Lord, if it be Thou, bid me come unto Thee 
on the water.' ' So he came out of the boat, and as long as he 

19-B.S. 



290 THE MINISTRY. 

trusted in His Master, he could walk; but when he saw the wind 
boisterous, he was afraid, and cried out, and then he began to 
sink. 

He called out, and Jesus put forth His hand and held him 
up, saying, "0 thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt ?" 
Then they were both taken into the boat, and the wind ceased, and 
the lake was calm and still. 

QUESTIONS. 
1. What did the people want to do? 2. Why did they want to make Jesus a 
king ? 3. What did He do to get out of their way ? 4. Where did He bid the 
disciples go? 5. What sort of night was it? 6. What happened to the apostles? 
7. How did our Lord come to them ? 8. What did they do when they saw Him 
first? 9. How did they know Him? 10. Who came out to Him on the water? 
11. When was St. Peter safe? 12. When did he begin to sink? 13. What did 
our Lord say to him? 14. What happened as soon as they were in the boat? 




THE WELL OR FOUNTAIN AT NAZARETH. 



fovt^fifth 5unba£. 



WONDERS OF OUR LORD'S WORKING. 

FIRST READING. 

" Young man, I say unto thee arise/ 7 — Luke 7 : 14- 




f one can think how good and kind our 
blessed Lord Jesus was. Once, when 
He was going with His disciples into a 
village called Nain, He met a funeral 
coming out. People are not carried to 
the grave in their coffins in the East; 
but they are laid on a sort of bed called 
a bier, with all their best clothes on, and 
a wreath of flowers round the head. 

The person who was now to be 

buried was quite a young man, and he 

was the only son of his mother, and she was a 

widow. And when the Lord saw it, He had pity 

on the poor woman, and He said to her, "Weep 

not." Then He came and touched the bier, and the 

bearers stood still. Then He said, "Young man, I say unto thee, 

Arise." And he that was dead sat up and began to speak; and 

our Lord gave him back alive to his mother. 

QUESTIONS. 

1. What was our Lord always doing? 2. What village was He going into? 
3. What did he meet? 4. Who was going to be buried? 5. Had his mother 
anymore sons? 6. And what was she? 7. How are people carried to their 
graves in the East? 8. Who had pity on the mother? 9. What did He say to 

291 



292 WONDERS OF OUR, LORD'S WORKING. 

her? 10. What did He do? 11. What did he say to the dead man? 12. 
What did the dead man do at once? 13. To whom was he given back? 14. 
How came Jesus to be able to work such miracles? 15. Was not he most kind 
and loving so to do ? 

SECOND READING. 

" His face did shine as the sun." — Matt. 17 : 2. 

NLY once all the time He was in this world did our 
Lord Jesus let His apostles see any of His glory, 
and then it was only the three who believed in Him 
best, and whom He kept the most with Him. 

One night, He took Peter and James and John 
out to a mountain with Him, as He was wont to do 
when He was going apart to pray. They went to sleep; but 





THE TRANSFIGURATION.— Luke 9 : 29-32. 

when they woke, they saw Him in bright light and glory. His 
face was shining like the sun, and His clothes were as white as 
the light ; and there were two talking with Him, Moses and Elias. 
And they were talking of how He was come to die at Jerusalem. 
The three were afraid, but they were happy too; and Peter 



WONDERS OF OUR LORD'S WORKING. 




THE GOOD SAMARITAN— Luke 10: 33, 34. 




JESUS AND THE SISTERS OF BETHANY.— Luke 10 ; 41, 4- 



293 



294 WONDERS OF OUR LORD'S WORKING. 

said, "Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three 
tabernacles; one for Thee, one for Moses, and one for Elias;" 
for, indeed, he hardly knew what he was saying. 

And even as He spoke, a bright cloud came and hid the 
wonderful sight from them, and then they found that no one was 
with them but their Master, Jesus, looking as usual ; and He bade 
them tell no one about what they had seen, until the Son of man 
should be risen again from the dead. 




THE RETURN OF THE PRODIGAL SON. -Luke 15 : 22. 

They knew that their Lord was the Son of man; but they 
could not think what He could mean by rising again from the dead. 

This wonderful showing forth of His glory is called the 
Transfiguration. 

QUESTIONS. 

1. What was the Transfiguration? 2. Who were allowed to see it? 3. Where 
did it happen? 4. What was our Lord's face like? 5. What were His clothes 
like? 6. Who came and talked to Him? 7. Who was Moses? 8. Who was 
Elias ? 9. Do ,you remember what had become of Elias ? 10. What were Moses 
and Elias talking about with Him? 11. What were the three apostles doing at 



WONDERS OF OUR LORD'S WORKING. 295 

first? 12. What did Peter say when he woke? 13. What happened then? 14. 
Who was left with them? 15. What did He forbid them to do? 16. When 
might they speak of it? 17. What could not they .understand? 

THIRD READING. 

" Suffer the little children to come unto me." — Mark 10 : 14.. 

FTER His Transfiguration, our Lord Jesus often told 
His apostles that He was going to be taken by the chief 
priests at Jerusalem, and that He should be ill-used, 
and beaten, and spit upon, and put to death on a cross ; 
and that the third day He should rise again. But they 
never could understand how this would be, for they had never 





THE RICH MAN AND LAZARUS THE BEGGAR.— Luke 16 : 19-21. 

heard of rising from the dead ; and they were so sure that He was 
Christ, and that Christ would be a great King, that they never 
understood or believed that He was to die. 

And sometimes they even disputed among themselves who 
would be first and greatest in His kingdom. When they did this 



296 WONDERS OF OUR LORD'S WORKING. 

our Lord called a little child, and took him, and set him in the 
midst, and said that the greatest in His kingdom would be the 
most like that little child; for only those who are ready to be last 
here can be high up there. 

The Lord loved little children. Once, when the mothers were 
bringing their babies for Him to touch, the disciples wanted to 
keep them away; but He said, "Suffer the little children to come 



"SUFFER LITTLE CHILDREN TO COME UNTO ME."— Mark to: 14. 

unto me, and forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom of 
heaven." 

And then He took the little ones up in His arms, and put 
His hands on them, and blessed them. And just so He embraces 
and blesses the little children we bring to Him in church, though 
we cannot see Him now ; and He is always glad to hear them pray. 

QUESTIONS. 

1. What was the Transfiguration? 2. What did our Lord say would happen to 
them? 3- Why would not the disciples believe it? 4. What did they dispute 
about? 5. Whom did our Lord call? 6. What did He tell them? 7. What is 
the way to be high in the kingdom of heaven ? 8 . Who were brought to Him ? 



WONDERS OF OUR LORD'S WORK IXC. 




THE PHARISEE AND THE PUBLICAN.— Luke 18 : n-is. 




THE RAISING OF LAZARUS.— John n : 43, 44- 



297 



tfort^sutb Sunba^ 



GOING UP TO JERUSALEM. 

FIRST READING. 

" Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou son of David." — Matt. 



: SO. 




.OR three years our blessed Lord 
went about doing good and 
teaching, generally in Galilee, 
in the towns or on the hills, where 
the people came out to hear Him; 
and at the feasts, when people ought 
to worship at Jerusalem, He used 
to go up and speak to them in the 
outer court of the Temple. 

But there was a wicked high 

priest named Caiaphas, who had 

been set up by the Romans, and he 

and the Pharisees and Sadducees all hated Jesus, because He 

found fault with their evil ways, and they would not believe He 

was the Christ, but wanted to put Him to death. 

So whenever He came to Jerusalem it was more dangerous ; 
and then they stirred up the chief men of Galilee, so that He 
could not be in the town, but had to wander on the hills. Once, 
when a man wanted to follow Him, He said, "Foxes have holes, 
and the birds of the air have nests; but the, Son of man hath not 
where to lay His head." 

And at last, when His time was come, He set His face to go 
to Jerusalem to keep the Passover, though He knew that He 



GOING UP TO JERUSALEM. 299 

would be taken and put to death there, and so be the real Passover. 
As He was going, two blind men, who sat by the roadside begging, 
called out, "Have mercy on us, Lord, thou son of David!" And 
He stood still and cured them both. 




MARY ANOINTS THE HEAD OF JESUS.— Mark 14 : 1-11. 



1. How long did our blessed Lord teaci 



QUESTIONS. 

■li ? 2. Where did He teach ? 3. When 
did He go to Jerusalem? 4. What did He go to Jerusalem for? 5. Where did 
He teach? 6. Who hated him? 7. Who was Caiaphas ? 8. Why did they 
hate Him? 9. Where did they drive Him ? 10. W^hat did He say about hav- 
ing no home? 11. When did He set His face to go to Jerusalem? 12. What 
feast was He going to keep? 13. What did He know would happen to Him? 
14. Whom did He cure as He was going? 15. What did the blind men cry out? 



300 



GOING UP TO JERUSALEM. 



SECOND READING. 

" Hosanna to the son of David."— Matt. 21 : 9. 

T was only the great rich wicked men that hated our 
Lord. The common people heard Him gladly, and only 
wanted Him to begin to be king. And they really 
thought the time was come when He came up to Jeru- 
salem. Just before He came in, He sent two of His 
disciples to fetch a young ass on which no one had 
ever sat, and on it He rode down Mount Olivet. 





CHRIST ENTERING JERUSALEM.— Matt. 21 : 8, 9. 

Now, there was an old prophecy which said to Jerusalem, 
"Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an 
ass." People remembered this, and began to receive Him like a 
king; they spread their mantles on the ground before Him, and 
others cut down branches from the trees and strewed them in the 
way; and the people before and behind, especially the children, 
cried out with all their might, "Hosanna to the son of David: 



GOING UP TO JERUSALEM. 301 

Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in 
the highest. Hosanna means, "save now." 

The Pharisees were very angry, and bade Him stop them; 
but He answered with the verse of a Psalm, "Yea, have ye never 
read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast Thou ordained 
strength?" 

But as He looked at beautiful Jerusalem, He wept over the 
city, for He knew that sad and dreadful punishments were coming 
on it; and yet the people would not listen to Him, and be sorry, 
and so be saved. 

QUESTIONS. 
1. Who loved our Lord? 2. What did they want Him to do? 3. What 
made them think His reign was coming ? 4. How did He come into Jerusalem ? 
5. What was the old prophecy? 6. What did the people do in His honor? 7. 
What did they cry? 8. What does "Hosanna" mean? 9. Who were angry? 
10. What did He say? 11. But why was He grieving? 12. What made Him 
sorry for the city? 13. How were the people bringing sad punishment on them- 
selves ? 

THIRD READING. 

"My house shall be called the house of prayer." — Matt. 21: 13. 

HE first thing our blessed Lord did at Jerusalem was 
to go into the Temple; and there, in the courts, He 
found people keeping shop, selling the lambs that 
were wanted for the Passover, and doves for other 
services, and changing the coin that strangers 
brought for Jewish money. 
This was very disrespectful to God, and He was angry. He 
had driven them all out once, and they had come back, and now 
they were doing it again. So He drove them all out, and told 
them His Father's house was a house of prayer, but they had 
made it a den of thieves. 

No one dared to answer Him, and all that day and the next 
He stood in the Temple, teaching the people, and showing the 




302 GOING UP TO JERUSALEM. 

wickedness of the chief priests and Pharisees. It seemed as if 
all the people of Jerusalem were ready to follow Him, and as 
if He might begin His reign directly; but this was not what He 
came for, and, as He well knew, the Pharisees were planning 
against Him. 

They wanted to get Him to say something that they could 




JESUS DRIVES OUT THE MONEY-CHANGERS.— Matt. 21 : 13. 

say was against the Law, so they asked Him many hard questions, 
but His great wisdom put them all to silence, and made them 
ashamed ; but they were so hard and wicked that they only hated 
Him the more. 

QUESTIONS. 

1. Where did oar Lord go ? 2. What were the Jews doing there ? 3. Why 
was this wrong? 4. What did He do to them? 5. Had He done this before? 
6. What did He tell them? 7. Who was his Father? 8. What was His 
Father's house? 9. What are our houses of prayer? 10. How must we behave 
in them ? 11. Who were planning against Him? 12. But who followed Him 
gladly ? 13. What did they want Him to be. 



3Fort\>-8eventb Sunday 



THE EVENING OF THE BETRAYAL 

FIRST READING. 

"Jesus knew that his hour was come." — John 18: 1. 

HE chief priests grew more fierce 
and bitter when they saw how all 
men listened to the Lord Jesus. 
They could do nothing to Him by 
day, because the people would have 
risen up to defend Him; so they 
tried how to find Him alone and at 
night, to take Him secretly. 

Now, one of the twelve apostles, 
named Judas Iscariot, was too fond 
of money, and used to take for him- 
self what was trusted to him to take 
care of. So he went on from bad to 
worse, till at last he did the dreadful 
thing of promising the chief priests that he would show them 
to some lonely place, where they could take his Lord and Master 
prisoner; and then they were to pay him for this wickedness with 
thirty pieces of silver. 

Judas settled all this, and then he went back to our Lord and 
the other eleven apostles just as usual, thinking they did not 
know; but our Lord did know very well. But He bade the 
apostles get ready the supper that was eaten the night before the 
Passover, in a large upper room that was lent to them for it, and 
there He sat down to eat with them. 

303 




304 



THE EVENING OF THE BETRAYAL. 



QUESTIONS. 

1. What feast was being kept at Jerusalem? 2. Why were the priests and 
Pharisees angry ? 3. What did they want to do ? 4. Why did they not take 
Him in the Temple ? 5. Where did they want to take him ? 6. Who said He 
would show them the way? 7. What did they promise to Judas Iseariot? 8. 
Who was he? 9. Then how came he to be so wicked? 10. Where did our Lord 
go to eat His Last Supper? 11. Who were eating with Him? 




JESUS WASHING HIS DISCIPLES FEET.— John 13 : 2-5. 



SECOND READING. 

"This do in remembrance of me." — Luke 



19. 



HEN our Lord and His apostles were eating the 
Supper together, He was very sorrowful, and 
said, "One of you shall betray me." The apostles 
were grieved, and each said, "Lord, is it I?" And 
He said, "He that dippeth his hand with me in the 
dish, the same shall betray me." 
And then, as the custom was, He dipped His piece of bread 





CHRIST ENTERING JERUSALEM, 



THE EVENING OF THE BETRAYAL. 305 

in the dish in the middle of the table, and gave it to Judas. Then 
the wicked man presently got up and went away. 

And as they were still in the upper room, our Lord took 
bread and broke it, and gave a piece to each of His apostles, and 
said, "Take, eat : this is My Body, which is broken for you : this 
do in remembrance of me." And He took a Cup of wine, and 
said, "This Cup is the new testament in My Blood: This do, as 
oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me." 




THE LAST SUPPER.— Matt. 26 : 26-28. 

And that was the beginning of what we call the Holy Sacra- 
ment of the Lord's Supper, "For as often as ye do eat of this 
Bread, and drink this Cup, ye do show the Lord's death till 
He come." 

QUESTIONS. 
1. Who were eating together? 2. When was it? 3. Why was our Lord sor- 
rowful ? 4. What did He say one of them would do ? 5. What did they all 
ask ? 6. Who did He say it would be ? 7. What did He dip then ? 8. To whom 
did He give it? 9. Who went away ? 10. What holy Sacrament did He ap- 
point? 11. What did He take? 12. What did He say of the bread? 13. 
20-B.S. 



306 THE EVENING OF THE BETRAYAL. 

What did He then take? 14. What did He say of the wine? 15. What is the 
outward sign of the Lord's Supper ? 16. What is the inward grace ? 17. What 
does it show forth. 




JESUS IN THE GARDEN OF GETHSEMANE.— Matt. 2S : 38, 39- 



THIRD READING. 

" Not as I will, but as Thou wilt."- 

UPPER being over, and night coming on, our Lord went 
out with His disciples to a garden, full of olive trees, 
called Gethsemane, where He often used to pray. He 
told them again on the way that they would soon all 
be afraid, and leave Him; but Peter could not think 
so, and said boldly that if everybody fell from Him, he 
never would. But Jesus answered, "Verily, I say unto thee, that 
this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice." 

Then He went on to the garden, taking only Peter, James, 
and John into it with Him, and telling them to watch while He 
went apart to pray. They were heavy and sorrowful, and could 




THE EVENING OF THE BETRAYAL. 



307 



not keep awake; but while He was praying, He was in the 
greatest trouble and grief that ever anyone felt. 

He knelt and prayed in an agony, till His sweat was as great 
drops of blood falling down to the ground. For He was feeling 
the sorrow for all the sin of all the world — the sorrow that belongs 
to you and me. 

The disciples heard Him say, "0 my Father, if it be possible, 
let this cup pass from me : nevertheless, not as I will, but as Thou 
wilt." He came to them more than once, and called them, as if 
He longed for them to comfort Him; but still they fell asleep 
again, though He said, "What, could ye not watch with me one 
hour? The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." 

QUESTIONS. 

1. Where did our Lord go then? 2. What was the garden full of? 3. What 
did He say the apostles would all do ? 4. Who thought He never could leave 
Him. 5. What did our Lord tell Peter ? 6. Whom did He take into the gar- 
den ? 7. What were they to do ? 8. What great grief did He suffer ? 9. Why 
did He suffer such agony? 10. What did he pray? 11. What could not the 
disciples do? 12. What did He say at last? 13. What was their flesh? 14. 
Was He angry? 15. But was He not much grieved that they did not comfort 
Him? 




tfoxty*eiQhth 5unba\>. 




THE TRIAL AND CONDEMNATION. 

FIRST READING. 

" Betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss ? " — Luke 22 : £8. 

UST as our Lord had wakened His three 
apostles for the last time, there came a tread 
of soldiers, and lanterns gleamed through 
the olive trees. For Judas Iscariot, the 
traitor, knew that his Master was apt to go 
to the olive garden to pray at night, and he 
was leading them, and he said to them, 
Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is He : hold Him 
fast." And he came up first to Jesus, and said, 
"Hail, master; and kissed Him." All our Lord said 
was, "Judas, betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss?" 

Peter tried to defend Him, and drew a sword and cut off the 
ear of one of the servants ; but our Lord bade him put the sword 
back into the sheath; and then, in His great love, our blessed 
Lord touched the ear, and cured it in an instant, and begged that 
all the disciples might be allowed to go their way. Indeed, they 
were so much afraid that they all forsook Him and fled away, 
except John and Peter, who both followed to see what would be 
done with Him. 

The soldiers dragged our blessed Lord to the house of the 
high priest, Caiaphas, where his enemies tried to make out some 
charge to bring against Him ; but as He was good and holy, and 
had no sin at all, they could accuse Him of nothing. And when 

308 



THE TRIAL AND CONDEMNATION. 



309 



they asked Him questions, He answered them not a word, for 
He knew that it was only to accuse Him. 

While He stood at the upper end of the hall, John, who knew 
one of the servants, had come in to the lower end, and had brought 
in Peter with him. The chill of the morning had come on, and the 
servants lighted a fire on the pavement, where Peter stood and 




JUDAS BETRAYS JESUS.-Matt. 26: 48-50. ' 

warmed himself. One of the maids there looked at him, and 
asked if he did not belong to Jesus of Nazareth. Peter was afraid, 
and said, "I know not what thou sayest." 

But then another maid said, "This fellow was also with 
Jesus of Nazareth./ ' Peter grew more afraid, and went on 
declaring he did not know such a person; but presently another 
servant said, "Did not I see thee in the garden with Him?" Again 
Peter's fear of being punished for wounding the man in the 
garden led him further astray, for he began to curse and swear, 
and say, "I know not the man." Just then the cock crew, and 
the Lord turned round and looked upon Peter. 



310 THE TRIAL AND CONDEMNATION. 

That look went to his heart. He went out and wept bitterly; 
and whenever he thought of his sin, he wept. 




CHRIST BEFORE CAIAPHAS.-Matt. 26 : 65,66. 

QUESTIONS. 
1. Where was our Lord? 2. "What time was it? 3. Whom had He taken 
with Him? 4. Who came up in the night? 5. Who was leading them? 6. 
How did Judas show which was our Lord ? 7. What was he wicked enough to 
say? 8. How did our Lord answer? 9. How did Peter try to save Him? 10. 
What blow did He strike? 11. What command did our Lord give Peter? 12. 
What did he do for the wounded man? 13. What care did He take for His dis- 
ciples? 14. Who only followed Him ? 15. Where was our Lord taken? 16. 
What did the chief priests try to find ? 17. Why could they find nothing to ac- 
cuse Him of? 18. What had He said Peter would do? 19. What had Peter 
then said? 20. Yet what did he do ? 21. What made Him deny? 22. What 
did he answer ? 23. What brought his better mind back ? 24. What sound ? 
25. What look ? 26. What did he do when he thought of his sin ? 



THE TRIAL AND CONDEMNATION. 



311 



SECOND READING. 

" He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter." — Isaiah 58: 7. 

S soon as it was light, all the chief men of the Jews met 
in the council chamber in the Temple, and had our 
Lord brought before them. But no one could prove 
that He had broken the law ; and whenever a story was 
brought against Him, it turned out not to be true. 
At last the high priest stood up and commanded Him to say 
whether He were the Christ or not. He answered, "Thou hast 





PETER DENYING JESUS —Luke 22 : 60,61. 

said : nevertheless, I say unto you, hereafter shall ye see the Son 
of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the 
clouds of heaven." 

At this answer, Caiaphas and all the other enemies made a 
great outcry, as if they were very much shocked, at His speaking 
of Himself as the great Judge of all — namely, as God. 

They all cried, "He is guilty of death;" and they began to 



312 THE TRIAL AND CONDEMNATION. 

beat Him and strike Him; and they blindfolded Him, and struck 
Him on the face, and bade Him say whose blow it was. And 
all the time He stood gentle and patient, and said not one word 
of complaint or anger. 

Since the reign of the great wicked Herod, the Romans had 
not allowed the Jews to put anybody to death without their leave ; 
so the chief priests were obliged to take Jesus before the Roman 
governor, Pontius Pilate. But it was not possible to find anything 
that a Roman would think He deserved to be put to death for. 

When the chief priests said that "by our law He ought to 
die, because He made Himself the Son of God," Pilate only feared 
to do anything against Him ; for he saw that there was no fault 
in Jesus, but that the chief priests were spiteful, and hated Him. 

Then the chief priests said that He called Himself King of 
the Jews. This made Pilate more anxious, for to set up to be an 
earthly king would have been rebelling against the Romans ; but 
still he wanted to let Jesus go, because he saw that He was 
innocent ; yet he did not like to offend the priests, who might have 
accused him to the Emperor of Rome. Pilate saw what was just ; 
but he was afraid, and cared for himself more than for his duty. 

QUESTIONS. 

1. Where did the chief priests meet? 2. Who was brought there before them? 
3. What did they intend to do ? 4. But could they find any fault in Him ? 5. 
So what did the chief priest ask Him? 6. What did He say? 7. What did 
they all cry out ? 8. How did they begin to treat Him ? 9. How did He bear 
it all? 10. How can we try to be like Him? 11. What were not the Jews 
allowed to do? 12. Who had the power over them? 13. Before whom did the 
chief priests take our Lord? 14. Who was Pilate? 15. What did Pilate think 
of the charges against Him? 16. But why did not Pilate set Him free? 17. 
Why was he afraid of His being called King of the Jews ? 



THE TRIAL AND CONDEMNATION. 



313 



THIRD READING. 

u Ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be 
granted unto you." — Acts 3: 14- 

ILATE thought he had found a way of saving the Lord 
Jesus without offending the Romans. It was the 
custom that at the feast of the Passover he should 
set some prisoner free, whomsoever the Jews asked 
for. And he thought, as the people loved our Lord, 
that they would ask for Him. 





JESUS CROWNED WITH THORNS.— Mark 15 : 16-19. 

But there was a robber and murderer in prison named 
Barabbas, and the enemies of our Lord went about among the 
people, stirring them up to ask for him to be set free; so that 
the poor, foolish people all broke out with a great shout to ask 
that this murderer Barabbas might be set free. 

Pilate asked them what he was to do with Jesus, and then 
there was a great roar from all the people, "Crucify Him! 
crucify Him! ,, 



314 THE TRTAL AND CONDEMNATION. 

Now, crucifying was a very horrible and painful punishment, 
that had never been allowed among the Jews, but was chiefly 
used by the Romans themselves for slaves and for robbers; so 
that their savage cry was for Jesus to have the punishment that 
belonged to Barabbas. 

Pilate's soldiers were very cruel, and they laughed at a poor 
man being called a king; so when they had beaten the blessed 




CHRIST BEFORE PILATE.— John 19 : 14-16. 

Jesus till He was bleeding all over, they took one of their old red 
soldiers' cloaks and threw it over Him ; and they platted a crown 
of sharp thorns, and forced it upon His head; and they put a 
reed in his right hand, instead of a sceptre ; and they bowed their 
knees, mocking Him by pretending to do Him honor. 

He never spoke one word of anger all this time; and when 
Pilate saw His meek, brave, patient face, pale and faint with 
pain, and streaming with blood, he thought the people would pity 
Him; so he led Him out once more to the top of the steps of the 
judgment hall, and said, "Behold the man !" But the people were 



THE TRIAL AND CONDEMNATION. 315 

too mad to have any pity or feeling, and they only cried louder and 
louder still, "Crucify Him! crucify Him!" 

Pilate was not brave enough to go against them all, even to 
save an innocent man ; so all he did was to take water and wash 
his hands before them all, to show that he was clear of wishing it, 
and he said, "I am innocent of the blood of this just person." 
But the chief priests made the dreadful answer, "His blood be 
on us, and on our children!" meaning that they would take the 
guilt and punishment. 




THE END OF JUDAS ISCARIOT.— Matt. 27 : 3-5. 

QUESTIONS. 

1. What plan had Pilate for saving our Lord? 2. Whom did he always set 
free at the feast ? 3. Whom did he wish to set free ? 4. But whom did the 
chief priests make them ask for? 5. Who was Barabbas? 6. What did they all 
cry out? 7. What kind of punishment was crucifying? 8. To whom would it 
naturally have belonged? 9. But who was going to bear the worst of punish- 
ments? 10. How did the soldiers treat our Lord? 11. Why did they mock 
Him ? 1 2. What did they put on His head ? 13. What did they dress Him in ? 
14. What did they put in His hand? 15. What did Pilate hope to do? 16. 
What did he say ? 17. What was the cry in answer ? 



dfort^nintb Sunba^ 



THE CRUCIFIXION. 

FIRST READING. 



They pierced my hands and my feet." — Ps. 22 : 16. 

HEN the judgment was over, Pilate gave 
up our Lord to the four soldiers who 
were to crucify Him. His cross, a 
heavy beam of wood, with another 
fastened across it, was laid on His 
shoulders, that He might carry it to 
the place where He was to suffer — a 
place named Calvary, outside the walls 
of Jerusalem. 

He was so weak and worn out 
after the long sad night, the being 
taken from one judge to another, and 
the beating and tormenting, that He 
could hardly walk under it; and the 
soldiers met a man coming out of the 
1 country whom they forced to carry it 
after Jesus. 

When they came to Calvary, the soldiers made the blessed 
Jesus lie down on the beam of wood, and they stretched His arms 
out on the cross-beam, and drove a large nail through each of the 
palms of His hands into the wood, and another nail through His 
feet; and then they lifted up the cross, with Him upon it, and 
planted it in the ground, that He might hang there till He 
should die. 

And all He said while they were thus nailing Him were the 

316 




THE CRUCIFIXION. 



317 



words, "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do!" 
That was the great pain He bore to save us ! 

QUESTIONS. 
1. Where was our Lord to be crucified? 2. Who led Him there? 3. Where 
was it ? 4. What had He to carry ? 5. But who had to be called to help Him ? 
6. Why was He so worn out? 7. What had they done to Him? 8. What was 
the cross? 9. How was He fastened to it? 10. What was done to it then? 
11. What prayer did He make? 12. For whom was He praying? 13. For 
whom was He dying? 




JESUS FALLS UNDER THE CROSS.— Luke 23: 27, 28. 



" Jesus of Nazareth the King of the Jews."- 



SECOND READING. 

-John 19 : 19. 

VER the head of the blessed Lord on the cross was a 
tablet, with the words, "Jesus of Nazareth the 
King of the Jews;" and on each side of Him was 
another cross, with a robber upon it. 

There He hung patiently, while the chief priests 
and Pharisees passed by, mocking and laughing at 
His pain, and crying out, "He saved others; Himself He cannot 




318 THE CRUCIFIXION. 

save. If He be the King of Israel, let Him now come down from 
the cross, and we will believe Him." 

Even the robbers at first joined in the cry; but by-and-by 
one of them began to feel that He who was so patient and so great 
in all that agony must truly be the Son of God; and he rebuked 
his fellow, and said, "Lord, remember me when Thou comest into 
Thy kingdom !" And the Lord answered, "To-day shalt thou be 
with me in paradise !" 




THE CRUCIFIXION.— John 19: 30. 

His holy mother had come to stand by the foot of His cross, 
and with her, her sister and some other women, and His beloved 
apostle John. The Lord looked down at her, and said, "Woman, 
behold thy son!" and He looked at St. John, and said, "Behold 
thy mother!" And John took the blessed Virgin home with him, 
and was always like a son to her afterward. 

At noon-day, a dreadful darkness came over all the earth, 
and it lasted for three whole hours, as if the very sun mourned 
for Him who made it. Just at three o'clock, the blessed Lord 



THE CRUCIFIXION. 319 

said, "I thirst;" and as one of the soldiers was touching His lips 

with a sponge full of vinegar, He gave a great sad cry, "My God, 

my God, why hast Thou forsaken me!" 

Then presently he added, "It is finished ! Father, into Thy 

hands I commend my spirit!" And He cried with a loud cry; 

and so He, who was God and man in one, died for us men, and 

for our salvation. 

QUESTIONS. 

1 . What was set up over our Lord's head ? 2. Who were crucified on each 
side? 3. How did the robbers behave at first? 4. How did one change? 5. 
What did he say? 6. How did our Lord answer? 7. Who were standing 
by His cross? 8. What did He say to His mother? 9. What did He say to 
John? 10. What did John do for her? 11. What came over the earth ? 12. 
How long did the darkness last? 13. What did our Lord cry out? 14. How 
did a soldier try to quench His thirst? 15. What was His sad cry? 

THIRD READING. 

"And rested the sabbath day." — Luke 23: 56. 

IERE were some good people even among the chief 
of the Jews ; and two of these, named Nicodemus and 
Joseph of Arimathea, went to Pontius Pilate, and 
asked him to let them bury the body of Jesus. People 
generally were much longer in dying on the cross, so 
Pilate sent to see if He was dead. 
To make sure, one of the soldiers pierced His side with a 
spear, and out came blood and water together. The robbers were 
still alive, so the soldiers broke their legs, that they might die 
sooner; and so the repenting one soon went to our Lord in 
Paradise. 

Then Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea took the holy 
body down from the cross, quite dead. Now, close by, Joseph had a 
garden, and in it was a cave which he meant to be buried in, but 
where no one had yet been laid. They carried our Lord's body 
there ; and the good women who followed Him, Mary Magdalene 
and the rest, wrapped it up in linen cloths and sweet spices. 




320 



THE CRUCIFIXION. 



They wanted to do more for it; but it was getting late on 
Good Friday evening, and the Sabbath or seventh day was counted 
from sunset, and then they could do no manner of work. So they 
had to wait till the Sabbath should be over; and Joseph rolled a 
great rock to close up the door, and they went away in their grief. 



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THE BURIAL OF JESUS.— John i 9 : 41,42. 

And then came a guard of soldiers, whom the chief priests 
had sent to watch the stone, for fear, as they told Pilate, that 
the disciples should steal the body away in the night. So they put 
seals, to make sure that no one should move the stone; and the 
soldiers were set to watch. 

QUESTIONS. 

1. Who asked for our Lord's body? 2. What did Pilate want to know? 3. 
How did they make sure that our Lord was dead ? 4. What was done to the 
robbers? 5. Where did Nicodemus and Joseph take the body? 6. To whom 
did the cave belong? 7. Who were there too? 8. How did they wrap the 
body? 9. What did they put with it? 10. Why did they not do anymore? 
11. What day was it? 12. What was the next day? 13. What is the Fourth 
Commandment? 14. When did the Sabbath begin? 



jFtftfetb Sunba^ 



«N 



THE RESURRECTION. 

FIRST READING. 

ow is Christ risen from the dead/' — 1 Cor. 16 




^ s it b-ecnatft dfiwjv 





HE holy women waited all 
the Sabbath day in sorrow ; 
and our Lord Jesus lay in 
His grave. But, on the 
night after, He rose up 
from His grave, and came 
forth again, for He is alive 
for evermore. There was 
a great earthquake, and an 
angel came from heaven, 
and rolled away the stone 
from the door of the cave, 
and sat upon it; and for 
fear of him the keepers did 
shake, and were as dead 
men. 



Very early in the morn- 
ing, Mary Magdalene and the other women came with the sweet 
spices they had prepared. They wondered who would roll away 
the stone for them ; but when they came nearer, they saw that it 
was taken away ; and when they went in, they saw that the body 
of the Lord was gone. 

They feared at first that some one had taken it away; but 
behold, two men stood by them in shining garments, who said, 



21-B.S. 



321 



THE RESURRECTION. 




THE RESURRECTION.— Matt. 28 : 2-4. 




322 



THE WOMEN AT THE TOMB OF JESUS.— Mark 16 : 5, 6. 



THE RESURRECTION. 323 

"Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is 
risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay." 

And as the women went in great wonder to tell the disciples, 
they saw -Jesus Himself, the same whom they had seen and 
touched quite dead the day before yesterday, standing before 
them, speaking kindly to them. So they held Him by the feet, 
and worshipped Him. For never was there such wonderful joy 
and gladness in all the world. 




MARY MAGDALENE AT THE SEPULCHRE.— John 20: 11-13. 



QUESTIONS. 
1. What happened all the Sabbath? 2. What happened the night after? 3. 
Who rose again ? 4. Who came down from heaven ? 5. What happened to the 
soldiers ? 6. Who were the first at the grave in the morning ? 7. What did 
they bring? 8. What did they wonder about? 9. What did they find? 10. 
Who stood by them ? 11. What did the angels say ? 12. Who was living? 13. 
Whom did they go to tell? 14. Who met them? 15. How did they show their 
joy? 16. Why were they so very glad ? 17. What day was it? 



324 



THE RESURRECTION. 



SECOND READING. 

"The Lord is risen."— Luke ££: #£. 

T was the first day of the week that our Lord rose from 
the dead, and we call that day the Lord's day, and 
have kept it holy ever since, instead of the seventh. 
But on that first day it seemed too wonderful. The 
apostles had never understood when their Lord spoke 
of dying and rising again ; and though the women said 

they had seen Him, they were afraid to trust their word, and 

thought it a mistake. 





JESUS APPEARS TO MARY MAGDALENE.— John 20 : 16. 

Later in the day, two of the disciples were walking to 
Emmaus, a little village near Jerusalem, when a stranger came 
and joined them. He asked why they were sad, and what they 
were talking of. They told Him it was of Jesus of Nazareth, who 
had been a great prophet, and they had hoped would have 
redeemed Israel; but now He had been put to death the day before 



THE RESURRECTION. 325 

yesterday, yet that some of the women said that they had seen a 
vision of angels which said that He was alive. 

Then the stranger began to show them, as they had never 
seen before, that all the Old Testament meant that when the 
Christ came, the Seed of the woman, He was to suffer, and save 
the world before His kingdom and glory could begin; and their 
minds understood, for they were opened to see and know the 
Scripture, so that they were sure that Jesus was the Christ. 

So they came to Emmaus, and went into a house; and the 
stranger made as if He would have gone farther, but they pressed 
Him to come in. 

He sat down with them, and took bread and blessed and 
broke it; and then their eyes were opened, and they knew it was 
Jesus Himself ! And as they knew Him, He vanished out of their 
sight. And they said to one another, "Did not our heart burn 
within us, while He talked with us by the way?" 

QUESTIONS. 

1. What day did our Lord rise? 2. What is it called? 3. Which day do we 
keep holy? 4. Who could not believe yet? 5. W 7 here were two disciples going? 
6. Who came and walked with them? 7. Who was it really? 8. Did they know 
Him? 

THIRD READING. 
" Peace be unto you." — Luke 24 : 36. 

N the evening, the ten apostles were all together in the 
upper room, with the doors close shut, for fear of the 
Jews. There were only ten, for Thomas was not there ; 
the wretched Judas had hung himself in his grief and 
despair. 

The two disciples came back from Emmaus, and 
told how they had seen Jesus; and while they were telling about 
it, though the door was not opened, they found Jesus Himself 
standing in the midst, and they heard His voice say, "Peace be 
unto you." 




326 THE RESURRECTION. 

They were afraid at first; but again He said, "Why are ye 
troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts? Behold 
My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself : handle Me, and see ; 
for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see Me have." Then 
He showed them that there were the marks of the nails in His 
hands and feet, and the spear- wound in His side; so that it was 
His own real body that had come again from the dead. 




JESUS APPEARS TO TWO OF HIS DISCIPLES.— Luke 24 : 15. 

And while they could not believe for joy, and wondered, He 
said, "Have ye here any meat?" And they gave Him a piece of 
broiled fish and a honeycomb; and He ate with them, to make 
them quite sure it was Himself. 



QUESTIONS. 

1. Where were the ten met? 2. "Why were there only ten? 



3. Who were 



away? 4. What had become of Judas? 5. Who had come home? 



stood in the midst? 7. What did He say? 
did He eat before them? 



8. What did He show ? 



6. Who 
9. What 



jfift^-first Sunba^ 



THE ASCENSION. 

FIRST READING. 

" Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed. 



-John 20: 29. 



OUR blessed Lord Jesus did not stay with 
His apostles as He did before His 
death and rising. They did not see Him 
after that first day for a whole week ; and 
they could not make Thomas, who had not 
been there when He came, believe that it 
was true that any man could come again 
from the grave. 

He said He should never believe that 
it was the Lord Himself, unless he could 
put his fingers into the prints of the nails, 
and his hand into the wound in the side. 

The next Sunday evening, Thomas 
and the other ten were all in the upper 
room together, when Jesus came and stood 
in the midst, and said to Thomas, "Reach 
hither thy finger, and behold My hands; 
and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it 
into My side: and be not faithless, but believing." 

Then Thomas knew Him indeed, and could only say, "My 
Lord and my God." 

And the Lord answered, "Thomas, because thou hast seen 
me, thou hast believed : blessed are they that have not seen, and 
yet have believed." And that is the blessing for all of us, who 

327 




328 THE ASCENSION. 

have not lived when our blessed Lord was on earth. We have not 
seen Him, but we must believe in Him; and that faith is the 
beginning of all goodness. 




JESUS CONVINCING THOMAS OF HIS RESURRECTION.— John 20 : 26-29. 

QUESTIONS. 

1. What had happened on Easter-day ? 2. Who saw our Lord then? 3. Who 
had not seen Him? 4. What could not Thomas believe? 5. What did He say? 
6. What prints did he mean ? 7. When did our Lord come again? 8. Where 
were the apostles? 9. Who was there this time? 10. Wliat did our Lord say 
to him? 11. What did Thomas answer? 12. What did our Lord then say ? 
13. Why had Thomas believed ? 14. But who are blessed? 15. Have we seen 
our Lord? 16. But what must we do? 17. What is believing called? 18- 
What begins with faith ? 



THE ASCENSION. 



329 



SECOND READING. 
" Feed my lambs."— John 2 : 15. 

UR Lord told His apostles to go into Galilee ; and there 
some of them went out fishing on the lake, as they 
used to do; but they fished all night, and caught 
nothing. In the dawn of morning, they saw One 
standing on the bank, and He said, "Children, have 
ye any meat?" They said, "No." Then He said, 
"Cast the net on the right side of the ship." And directly the net 





JESUS APPEARS TO HIS DISCIPLES AT THE SEA OF TIBERIAS.— John 21 : 1-7. 

was full of a hundred and fifty-three fishes, all large and good, 
and it did not break ! 

Then John knew who it was, and said to Peter, "It is the 
Lord." And Peter was so glad, that he sprang out of the boat, 
and came hurrying through the water to His Master's feet. 

And Jesus said, "Come and dine;" and the disciples found 
a fire ready lighted on the bank, with the broiled fish and bread ; 



330 THE ASCENSION. 

and they ate with Him again, and felt His care after their long, 
weary, hungry night. 

When they had eaten, the Lord said, "Simon, son of Jonas, 
lovest thou me more than these?" 

"Yea, Lord, Thou knowest that I love Thee," Peter answered. 

"Feed my sheep," our Lord said. Then again He asked, 
"Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me?" "Yea, Lord, Thou 
knowest that I love Thee," said Peter. "Feed my lambs," He 
said; and again He asked, "Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me." 
Then Peter was grieved, and said, "Lord, Thou knowest all things ; 
Thou knowest that I love Thee." 

And again Jesus said, "Feed my sheep." Peter knew that 
our Lord is the Good Shepherd, and that His sheep and lambs are 
the people and the children of His flock, the Church ; and that he 
was to show his love for His Master by taking care of them. 

QUESTIONS. 

1. Where did our Lord come to His disciples again? 2. What were they 
doing ? 3. What time did He come ? 4. How did they know Him ? 5. Had 
He ever done anything like this before? 6. Who knew Him first? 7. Who 
sprang to Him first? 8. What did He give them to eat? 9. What question did 
He ask Peter three times ? 10. What had Peter once done three times? 11. 
What did Peter answer now? 12. What did our Lord three times bid him do? 
13. Who is the good Shepherd? 14. Who are His sheep? 15. Who are His 
lambs ? 

THIRD READING. 

" This same Jesus, which is taken up from yon into heaven, shall so come 
in like manner as ye have seen Him go into heaven. " — Acts 1 : 11. 

,OR forty days our Lord came in ways like what I have 
told you to see and teach His disciples. Once, five 
hundred of them saw Him together; but He never 
came to the wicked unbelieving Jews again. 

But when the feast of weeks was near, the 
disciples went back to keep it at Jerusalem. There 
our Lord came to them again, and He led the eleven apostles out 




THE ASCENSION. 331 

with Him to the Mount of Olives. He taught them, and charged 
them much; and He gave them a great command, "Go ye there- 
fore, and teach all nations, baptising them in the name of the 
Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost : teaching them to 
observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, 
I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.' ' 

And then He bade them stay at Jerusalem until they should 




THE ASCENSION.— Luke 24: 50,51- 

be endued with power from on high. And while He talked with 
them, He was parted from them, and went rising up into heaven, 
going higher and higher, till a cloud received Him out of their 
sight. 

While they still looked up after Him, two angels stood by 
them, and said, "Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up 
into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into 
heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go 
into heaven." 



332 THE ASCENSION. 

And so it was that our blessed Lord Jesus ascended up to 
His throne in heaven again, after He had been born, and lived, 
and died to save us. And there He is in heaven, now watching 
over us, and laying all our prayers before His Father in heaven, 
and getting ready our home there for each of us. 

QUESTIONS. 

1. How long did our Lord stay below? 2. Where did the disciples go? 3. 
Where did He take them with Him ? 4. What was the great charge He gave 
them? 5. Whom were they to teach? 6. What were they to do to those whom 
they taught? 7. In whose name were they to baptize them? 8. What were they 
to teach them? 9. Who would always be with them? 10. What happened 
while He was speaking? 11. Where did He rise? 12. "Who came to tell them 
where He was gone? 13. What do we call the day? 14. When will He come 
again ? 




jfift^seconb Sunba^. 




O 



THE WAITING-TIME. 

FIRST READING. 

I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he 
may abide with you forever." — John 14-: 16. 

UR Lord had told the apos- 
tles that though He was 
going to heaven, He would send 
them another Comforter, who 
would be with them for ever, 
and in whom He Himself should 
be present with them — even 
God the Holy Ghost, who is One 
with God the Father and God 
the Son. 

Ten days after He had 
ascended up to heaven, on the 
great day of the feast of weeks 
(or, as we call it, Whitsunday) , 
as the disciples were together 
in one place at Jerusalem, they 
heard a sound like the noise of 
a rushing mighty wind, and it 
filled all the house; and there 
came flames like tongues divided in the midst, and sat on 
the head of each disciple — not burning, but shining. 

And wonderful knowledge came to all of them — they under- 
stood all they could not understand before ; and they could speak 
all sorts of different languages, without ever having learnt them. 
These wonders were to show them that God the Holy Ghost had 

333 



334 THE WAITING-TIME. 

come down from heaven to be with them, and to dwell in them, 
and help them, and make them strong for ever and ever. 



ggg^jggggggggsgggs .; 




TONGUES OF FIRE RESTING ON THE DISCIPLES.— Acts 2 : 2-4. 

QUESTIONS. 

1. Whom had our Lord promised to send His disciples? 2. Who is that 
Comforter? 3. Who is with us when God the Holy Ghost is with us? 4. How 
long after our Lord's Ascension did He come ? 5. What feast was it? 6. What 
do we call the day? 7. Where were the disciples? 8. How did they know 
when God the Holy Ghost came down? 9. What did they hear? 

SECOND READING. 

" Abide in me." — John 15 : 4- 

HE Lord God the Holy Ghost goes on coming and being 
with us still. He does not show us when He comes 
now, because it is more blessed to believe than to see ; 
but we know He does come to each of us when we are 
baptised, to help us and make us good. 

The reason He made the apostles able to speak 
all those languages, was that they were to go and teach all the 
nations round the Gospel — that is to say, the good news that 




THE WAITING-TIME. 335 

Christ was come, and had died for the sins of everyone, and risen 
again. They did go and teach; and all who chose to believe and 
belong to Christ's kingdom were baptised. 

Then each of us receives the Presence of the Holy Ghost, to 
help us to be good, and to keep God's holy law, the Ten Com- 
mandments, that He gave on Mount Sinai. 

More and more of that good help of the Holy Spirit is given 
to everyone who comes, as our Lord bade, to take and eat and 
drink of the bread and wine, by which we partake of the Body 
and Blood of Christ ; and He gives all that we ask to us if we pray 
to Him. For we belong to those nations that the apostles were 
commanded to teach and baptise, and bring into the fold ; and we 
belong to Jesus Christ just as much as His own first disciples did. 

We are called Christians, after His name; and all the time 

we live here, He takes care of us ; and if we serve Him, He takes 

our souls to be with Him in Paradise, when death parts them 

from our bodies. 

QUESTIONS. 

1. Who stays with us still? 2. When does He come to us? 3. What does 
He come to us for ? 4. Why did He teach the apostles to speak languages ? 5. 
Where were they to teach the nations? 6. What does Gospel mean? 7. What 
is the good news? 8. Who belong to His kingdom ? 9. What have we to do? 
10. What are His laws? 11. W 7 ho will help us to keep them? 

THIRD READING. 

" We, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth." — 
2 Pet. 3: 13. 

HE Lord Jesus Christ is coming again. We do not 
know when it will be; but, sometime or other, He 
will send His angel to blow a trumpet; and all that 
are in their graves shall hear His voice, and their 
souls will come back to their bodies ; and we shall all 
be alive again; and if we have been good and holy, 
we shall be caught up to meet the Lord Jesus in the air. 




336 THE WAITING-TIME. 

For then He will come, with all His holy angels, and will 
sit on a great white throne; and all that have ever lived will be 
called before Him, and judged for all the things they have done, 
and the words they have said. 

And then those that have gone on doing wrong, and never 
being sorry, and never caring for the Lord Jesus, but have made 
Satan their master, will be given to Satan, to be in misery in 
hell-fire for ever. 

But those who have tried to do their best, and held fast to 
our Lord Jesus, and prayed Him to wash them clean in His blood, 
will be taken home for His sake. And they will have the happiest 
and most blessed home that ever can be in heaven. There will be 
all brightness, and no more pain, nor grief, nor sorrow; and the 
Lord shall wipe off all tears from all eyes; and there shall be 
gladness and joy for ever and ever. 

The old earth will be burnt up ; but there will be new heavens, 
and a new earth, all beautiful, with nothing that will hurt or spoil 
ol* fade, but all lovely and peaceful. 

And then there will be the great joy of singing the praise of 
God, who made us, and saved us, and helps us to be good, for 
ever and ever. 

Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and 
is to come ! Alleluia ! 

QUESTIONS. 
1. When will oar Lord come again? 2. What will He come for? 3. How 
will the dead be waked ? 4. Who will be caught up to meet Him ? 5. What 
will He sit on ? 6. Who will come before Him ? 7. What will everybody be 
tried for? 8. Who will be punished? 9. Who will be saved? 10. What will 
become of the old world ? 11. What will the new home be? 12. What sort of 
place will it be? 13. Why will it be so happy? 



New Testament Story in Verse 



By ANNE FLETCHER. 



The Archangel's First Visit. 

T"" WAS in the days of Herod — 
* First king of that proud name — 
Who reigned over Judea, 
The land of Scripture fame. 

A certain Zacharias, 

Of the large, priestly force, 
The temple of Jerusalem 

Was serving in his course. 

His wife, Elizabeth, belonged 

To Aaron's favored line ; 
And they were righteous before God, 

And kept the law Divine. 

But this couple had no children, 

And they were very old ; 
And lived alone, nor ever hoped 

A son they should behold. 

And it came to pass one morning — 

As Scripture doth record- 
That Zacharias burned incense 
On the altar of the Lord ; 

And outside the people waited, 
And stood in silent prayer ; — 

For in this way they worshiped 
In that holy temple fair. 

And, in that solemn season 

To Zacharias' sight — 
Standing beside the altar — 

Appeared an angel bright. 

22-B.S. 



And the good priest was troubled, 
When he saw the spirit form, 

And fear fell on him, and he shook 
Like willow in a storm. 

But the angel said to him : "Fear not, 
Thy prayer is heard in heaven, 

And to thy wife, Elizabeth, 
A son shall now be given. 

"And thou shalt call the baby John, 
And thou shalt have great joy ; 

And many shall rejoice with thee 
Over this precious boy. 

"And he shall, in the holy sight 
Of God, be great and high; 

And wine, or ardent spirit, 

His lips shall ne'er come nigh. 

"The Holy Ghost shall early 

Spread through his heart abroad, 

And many of your ancient race 
Shall he turn to their God. 

"And in the power and spirit 

Of Elias, he shall go 
Before Him who is coming 

To save the world from woe. ,, 

Then Zacharias, in surprise 

And overwhelming bliss, 
Demanded of the angel: 

"Whereby shall I know this ?" 

337 



338 



NEW TESTAMENT STORY IN VERSE. 



And the angel, answering, said: 

"I am that Gabriel, 
Who stand in God's high presence, 

And am sent glad news to tell. 

"And, now, because thou doubtest, 

Behold thou shalt be dumb, 
And shalt not speak, until the child 

I have foretold has come." 

Meanwhile the people waited till 
The priest should come outside, 

And marvelled at his long delay — 
What could to him betide? 

And, when to them he did appear, 
And could not speak a word, 

They knew that he had seen, within, 
A vision from the Lord. 

And so he served the temple 

Until the day had come 
When, his ministration over, 

He departed to his home. 

The Archangel's Second Visit. 

QIX months, and, sent again from God, 
*^ The angel Gabriel came 
To a city of fair Galilee, 
And Nazareth by name, 

To a virgin, spouse to Joseph 

Of David's royal race; 
And the virgin's name was Mary, 

Whose life was truth and grace. 

The angel entered softly, 

Where Mary sat alone, 
Saying : "Hail ! the Lord is with thee, 

Thou highly favored one." 

But, when she saw the stranger, 
Mary was troubled sore; 



For such a salutation 

She ne'er had heard before.. 

But: "Fear not," said the angel, 
"For, Mary, thou hast found 

Favor with God, whose goodness 
And mercy doth abound. 

"And thou art greatly honored, 
For God hath chosen thee 

To nurse the high, anointed One 
Whose name shall Jesus be. 

"He shall be great, and shall be called 

The high Jehovah's Son 
And the Lord God shall give to Him 

His father David's throne. 

"And he shall reign o'er Jacob's house 

For ever, evermore; 
His Kingdom still shall flourish 

When earthly reigns are o'er. 

"Behold," he said, "Elizabeth, 
Thy cousin, good and kind, 

I've also promised her a son, 
And the promise true she'll find. 

"For God is the omnipotent, 

All power is in His hand, 
And nothing is impossible 

To His Divine command." 

Then Mary meekly said : "Behold 
The handmaid of the Lord; 

And let the honor be to me 
According to thy word." 

The angel then departed — 

Ascending up above — 
And left the gentle virgin bowed 

In humble trust and love. 



NEW TESTAMENT STORY IN VERSE. 



339 



Mary's Visit to Elizabeth. 

jVFOW Mary felt a longing 

*■ ^ To see her cousin dear, 

And with Elizabeth to spend 

A season of good cheer. 

And so in haste, and early, 
She started forth one day, 

And journeyed to a city 
In Judea's hills away. 

For there dwelt Zacharias, 

And Elizabeth so pure, 
And, entering in, the virgin found 

A welcome, warm and sure. 

For the Holy Ghost gave token 
To Elizabeth's glad heart, 

That her visitor, in God's wise plan, 
Should have a happy part. 

Then out she spake, exultant, 

"O, why to me accord 
The honor of a visit 

From the mother of my Lord? 

"And blessed is she for evermore, 
Who humbly hath believed, 

For every word shall come to pass 
Which she from God received." 

And Mary said : "O, how my soul 

Jehovah magnifies ! 
And how my spirit joys in God, 

My Saviour, 'bove the skies ! 

"For He hath had regard unto 
His handmaid's low estate, 

And henceforth all shall call me blest- 
The humble and the great. 

"For He, the high and mighty One 
Hath done to me great things, 



And holy is His honored name ; 
His praise my spirit sings. 

"His mercy they that fear His name 

Enjoy from day to day ; 
From age to age it is the same, 

And shall be so alway. 

"And He hath shown abroad the strength 

Of His almighty arm ; 
For He hath chased the proud, who sought 

To do the humble harm. 

"He hath put down the mighty 
From their haughty seats on high ; 

And lifted up the lowly to 
The region of the sky. 

"His hand hath filled the hungry poor 

With daintiest of food, 
And the rich he hath sent empty 

Away from hope of good. 

"He hath come to the assistance 
Of His servant Israel's race; 

In remembrance of His mercy, 
His promise and His grace, 

"As He spake, in the beginning, 

To Abraham, our head, 
And to Jewish tribes for ever — 

Naught hath failed of all He said." 

After this the virgin Mary 

With Elizabeth, so true, 
Made a pleasant three months' visit, 

Then to her home withdrew. 

Now that great thing did come to pass, 

Which Gabriel had foretold, 
In the sacred temple service, 

To Zacharias old. 



340 



NEW TESTAMENT STORY IN VERSE. 



And soon Elizabeth received 

The promised baby boy; 
And gazing on the heavenly gift, 

Her heart was filled with joy. 

And all her friends and cousins, 

To whom the tidings went, 
Came with their gratulations, 

Upon the glad event. 

Then on the day of naming, 

The parents both agreed 
That John the infant should be called, 

As Gabriel had decreed. 

And the speech of Zacharias 

Immediately returned; 
He praised and glorified the Lord, 

His heart with fervor burned. 

And fear came on the neighbors all, 
As these things were noised abroad ; 

And they said : "What kind of child is this 
Who comes, foretold of God? 

But the hand of God rich blessings 
On the babe, each day, bestowed ; 

And the heart of Zacharias 

With the Holy Ghost o'erflowed. 

And he burst forth in thankfulness, 
And praised, and prophesied 

Of all the wondrous goodness 
That should to men betide. 

For the light of inspiration 

Had shown to him, indeed, 
That his son was the Elias, 

Who should the Lord precede. 

The Holy Child. 

"D OME was the world's proud mistress, 
A ^ And would tax her subjects all: 
Thus every man, to his own town, 
Received Imperial call. 



And Joseph, wed to Mary, 

Must go to Judah's land, 
And, with the sons of David, 

Must take his lineal stand. 

Then, from Nazareth, he journeyed, 
With his fair and gentle spouse 

To Bethlehem of Judea, 
The place of David's house. 

But when — their journey ended — 

They sought repose to win, 
Their lodging was a stable, 

So crowded was the inn. 

And to that stable, lowly, 

In humble, human guise, 
There came a babe most holy, 

Descended from the skies. 

'Tis written that the angel 

Had to the virgin come, 
And told her that this Holy Child 

With her should make his home. 

And now a rosy light from heaven 

On Bethlehem's city shone ; 
And this was the first Christmas 

The world had ever known. 

For Jesus was the promised Christ, 

So long ago foretold — 
The King that all the Jewish race 

Were longing to behold. 

The Shepherds. 

'y HE men, who watched the sheep that 
* night, 

Were seated on the ground, 
When a glorious light from heaven 
Shone brightly all around. 



NEW TESTAMENT STORY IN VERSE. 



341 



And, lo ! an angel of the Lord 

Appeared before their eyes, 
And they were filled with sore affright, 

With wonder and surprise. 

The angel said to them : "Fear not, 

For I have come to tell 
News of the joyfullest event 

The world has e'er befell. 

"For, this day, unto you is born, 

In David's' city fair, 
A Saviour, who is Christ, the Lord, 

And David's lineal heir. 

"And this shall be a sign to you 

That true is what I've said : 
You'll find the babe in swaddling clothes, 

And in a manger laid." 

Then suddenly a crowd appeared 

Of spirits, bright and fair, 
And their glad voices, praising God, 

Resounded through the air. 

"Glory to God," they sweetly chant, 
Who reigns in highest heaven, 

And peace on earth for evermore, 
And love to men be given. 

Thus singing, shining, up they went 

Away to heaven again; 
And night and silence were restored 

To ancient Bethlehem's plain. 

"Come," said the shepherds, "let us go 

Into the city old, 
And see the strange, mysterious child, 

Of whom we have been told." 

And, leaving there their flocks, they went 

Into the town near by; 
And found the babe, as they had heard, 

His gentle mother nigh. 



And, having seen him, they made known, 

To people all abroad, 
The things that had been told to them 

About the Son of God. 

The people listened to the news 

With very great surprise, 
The wondrous things the shepherds heard, 

And witnessed with their eyes. 

But these strange things within her heart 

The mother kept concealed, 
And pondered o'er them, nor her thoughts 

To any she revealed. 

The shepherds, thrilled with gladness, 
praised 

The God of heaven above, 
For all things they had heard and seen 

Of His unbounded love. 

Good Old Simeon. 

1VT OW, when a week had passed, the babe 
* Received the sacred sign 
Which God to Abraham had given, 
As covenant divine. 

They gave him Jesus for his name, 

According to the word 
Of the archangel Gabriel, 

Who stands before the Lord. 

And, then, a few weeks later, 

To Jerusalem they went, 
Before the great Jehovah 

The young child to present; 

And to offer, on the altar, 

In thankful sacrifice, 
A pair of doves, or pigeons, 

Of small and humble price. 



342 



NEW TESTAMENT STORY IN VERSE. 



At that time, in the temple gate, 

There was an aged saint, 
Who waited for the promised Christ 

Nor did his firm faith faint. 

A just and righteous man was he, 
And Simeon was his name, 

And the Holy Ghost, with power, 
Upon his spirit came. 

And it was thus revealed to him 

That he should never die, 
Until his mortal eyes had seen 

The Lord's Christ, from on high. 

And he came, by the spirit, 

The temple court within 
Just as his earthly parents 

Their infant child brought in. 

Then Simeon took the Holy Child 

Into his arms, and said: 
"Bless Thee, my God, for all the way 

Thou hast Thy servant led. 

"And now let me depart in peace 

According to Thy word, 
Since my old eyes have haply seen 

My Saviour and my Lord ; 

"Whom Thou hast sent into the world, 

To lighten all mankind, 
And that Thy people, Israel, 

Their precious Prince may find." 

Then Joseph and the virgin 

Were filled with great surprise 

At the words that Simeon uttered — 
So grave, devout and wise. 

And Simeon blessed both parents, 

And said to Mary then, 
"This child is set that Israel 

May fall and rise again ; 



"And for a sign, which wicked tongues 

Shall slander and indict, 
And that the thoughts of evil hearts 

May be exposed to sight." 

The Prophetess. 

HP HEN, also, lived one Anna, 
* A prophetess, of God, 
Who, in His faith and service, 
Her way, through life, had trod. 

She was an aged widow, too, 

Daughter of Israel's race; 
And, coming in that instant, 

She joined in thanks and praise; 

And then throughout the city went, 

And told the glorious news 
From house to house, wherever dwelt 

The pious, hopeful Jews ; 

Told that the great Messiah, 
Long looked for, now had come, 

An infant in a virgin's arms, 
And in a lowly home. 

The Wise Men. 

]\|OW, when this wondrous babe was 
*■ ^ born 

Into his low estate, 
Another strange event occurred, 

Which Scripture doth relate. 

There dwelt, far off, in eastern land, 

Wise men devout and good 
Who nature's grandest mysteries 

Revered and understood. 

One night as eagerly they scanned 

The splendors of the sky, 
They saw a new, strange star appear 

Among the worlds on high ; 



NEW TESTAMENT STORY IN VERSE. 



343 



And said it came thus suddenly 

Important news to bring — 
The sign that Balaam had foretold — 

Of Israel's glorious King. 

And when they reached Jerusalem, 
"Where is your King?" they said, 

"For we have come to worship Him, 
And by his star were led." 

This question greatly troubled 
Proud Herod, on the throne, 

For, in the land of Judah, 
He would be King alone. 

At once he called the priests and scribes, 

Demanding they should tell 
In what place had it been foretold 

That Christ should come to dwell. 

And readily they answered — 

Nor waited to take note — 
"In Bethlehem of Judea," 

For thus the prophet wrote: 

"Thou Bethlehem, in Judah's land, 
Art not 'mongst princes small; 

For out of thee shall come a Prince 
And rule my people all." 

Then Herod for the wise men called, 

And, with foreboding fear, 
He bade them tell him just what time 

The star did first appear; 

And said : "Go search in Bethlehem, 
And when the babe you find, 

I, too, will come and worship Him, 
For thus I am inclined." 

The wise men were rejoiced to see 
The radiant star once more, 

And gladly followed, as it led 
The way to Joseph's door. 



They opened, then, their treasures, 
Gold, frankincense and myrrh — 

Fit offering to a Prince Divine, 
From reverent worshipper — 

And joyfully bestowed their gifts 

Upon the Son of Man — 
And thus the custom, since observed, 

Of Christmas gifts began. 

The wise men to their lodging went, 
For rest and sleep, that night ; 

But God came to them in a dream, 
Before the morning light; 

And said, "To Herod ye shall not return, 

Nor tell my Son's abode." 
And so returning to their home, 

They took a different road. 

Away to Egypt. 

A ND when they had departed thence, 
•**■ To Joseph came a dream, 
In which an angel of the Lord 
Appeared and spoke to him : 

"Rise, take the babe and mother, 

And into Egypt flee. 
For Herod seeks to kill the child — 

Go, till I call for thee." 

Then Joseph rose, obedient, 

And while it still was night, 
With the young child and mother, 

To Egypt took his flight. 

Then cruel, wicked Herod, 

When the wise men told him naught, 
Or let him know what house contained 

The babe whose life he sought, 

Sent forth his brutal servants 

To kill each little boy, 
In and around old Bethlehem — 

Each mother's hope and joy; 



844 



NEW TESTAMENT STORY IN VERSE. 



All — every tender nursling, 
From two years old and less ; 

Nor heeded Rachael's weeping, 
Her mourning and distress. 

But wicked, wicked Herod, 

Who would be king alone, 
Was soon thereafter called to die, 

And leave Judea's throne. 

And now the wrathful tyrant 
Has no more power to harm; 

And his fierce and jealous hatred 
No more can cause alarm. 

To Joseph, down in Egypt, 

Now comes another dream, 
Wherein an angel of the Lord 

Appears again to him ; 

And says : "Now, back to Israel's land 

With child and mother go ; 
For he, the murderer, is dead, 

Who was the infant's foe." 

Then Joseph rose and willingly 

Obeyed this new command, 
And, taking child and mother, 

Returned to Israel's land. 

But hearing Archelaiis 

Was king in Herod's room, 
He turned aside to Galilee, 

Which was his former home; 

And dwelt in Nazareth city, 

Thus plainly may be seen 
The truth of Scripture words : "He shall 

Be called a Nazarene." 

And there the blessed Jesus 
Spent childhood's simple days, 

And, as he grew, waxed strong and wise 
By God's unholding grace, 



The Child in the Temple. 

TVTOW, every year, these parents 
* ^ Jerusalem did seek; 
To keep the feast of passover, 
And spend the holy week. 

And when the child was twelve years old, 

They did as heretofore ; 
And went up to Jerusalem, 

The road oft traveled o'er. 

They kept the feast as usual, 
And, then, with cheerful mind, 

Returned the way that they had come — 
But Jesus stayed behind. 

The parents traveled all day long, 

Believing that their Son, 
Somewhere, among the company, 

Was coming safely on. 

But when, at evening, they encamped, 
And sought for Him around, 

To their surprise and sore distress, 
He was not to be found. 

Still seeking Him they turned their face, 

And traveled back again, 
The old road to Jerusalem ; 

But seeking was in vain. 

For three days long they went about, 

Within the city lines, 
Then, in the temple, found the lad, 

Among the great divines. 

He sat and heard the doctors talk, 
And asked them questions wise ; 

And all who listened were amazed 
At his profound replies. 

And His parents were astonished 
When they beheld Him thus, 




THE CHILD CHRIST, MARY HIS MOTHER AND JOSEPH 

JESUS RENDERED OBEDIENCE, NOT ONLY TO MARY, BUT TO JOSEPH— LUKE 2 : 51, 



346 



NEW TESTAMENT STORY IN VERSE. 



And Mary said : "O why, my son, 
Hast thou so dealt with us ? 

"Thy father, Joseph, and myself 
Have three days sought for thee, 

And sorrowed greatly, fearing we 
Thy face no more would see." 

Then Jesus, gravely, said to them : 
"Wherefore my absence mourn? 

My Father's work I have to do, 
Till I to Him return." 

And Mary, in her inmost heart, 

Did secretely confine 
The things He did, the words he spoke, 

This wondrous Child Divine. 

And Jesus rich in wisdom grew, 
As passed the years of youth, 

And gained the favor of all men, 
By virtue and by truth. 

John the Baptist. 

TVTOW, in the fifteenth year, when 
* ^ reigned 

Tiberias Caesar grand, 
And Pontius Pilate, under him, 

Ruled over Judah's land, 

And three of Herod's sons controlled 
The regions North and East, 

And Annas and Caiaphas were 
Appointed, each, high priest, 

The word of God came unto John — 

Old Zacharias' son — 
Who, in Judea's wilderness, 

Had dwelt and prayed alone. 

His raiment was of camel's hair, 

There in his strange retreat, 
While locusts and wild-honey 

Comprised his only meat. 



He preached where flowed the Jordan 
Down through Judea's land ; 

Saying : "Repent ye, for the kingdom 
Of heaven is at hand." 

Now, the people all expecting 

Their Messiah at that time, 
Mused in their hearts if John were not 

That prophet most sublime. 

So the Jews sent priests and Levites, 

Down from Jerusalem, 
To see this new, strange preacher, 

And closely question him. 

And, "Who art thou?" they asked of him, 

And humbly he confessed 
"I'm not the Christ, looked for by you, 

Nor with such honor dressed." 

"What then? Art thou Elias?" 
He said : "Not that I know." 

Art thou a risen prophet?" 
He firmly answered, "No." 

Then said they : "Tell us who thou art, 

That we may answer give 
To them that sent us thither 

Some knowledge to receive." 

He said: "I am the voice of one 
Who through the land doth cry, 

'Make straight, as said Esaias, 
The way of the Most High.' " 

The messengers were Pharisees, 
Who said : "Why then baptize, 

If thou be not the promised Christ, 
Or he that should arise ?" 

John answered: "I, indeed, baptize 
With water from the stream ; 

But there is one among you now 
Of whom you do not dream. 



NEW TESTAMENT STORY IN VERSE. 



347 



" Tis He who cometh after me, 
The latchet of whose shoes, 

Because He is so mighty, 
I'm not worthy to unloose. 

"And He shall, with the Holy Ghost, 

Baptize you and inspire, 
And fill your souls with power divine, 

And with celestial fire. 

"Whose fan is in His hand, and He 
Will -thoroughly purge His floor; 

And gather up His wheat, but then, 
With fire the chaff devour." 

And many other things said he, 

Exhorting all who heard ; 
And preaching unto them, with zeal, 

The Gospel's precious Word. 

Emmanuel. 

A ND in those days it came to pass 
** That Jesus — Holy One — 
From Nazareth came to Jordan, 
To be baptized of John. 

For He had reached just thirty years, 

The age the law declared 
Those called into the priesthood, 

For service were prepared. 

But John forbade Him, saying, 

"'Tis I have need to be 
A subject of Thy baptism, 

And comest Thou to me?" 

And Jesus, answering, said, to him, 

"Suffer it now, for thus 
To keep the law of righteousness, 

It well becometh us." 

Then, meekly, and with solemn awe, 

Did John the Lord baptize, 
And when the heavens were parted wide, 

He saw, with great surprise, 



As Jesus felt the water, and 

With humble reverence prayed — 

The Holy Ghost descending, like 
A dove, upon His head. 

And a voice, in tones majestic, 

Came from the heavens, so bright, 

Exclaiming, "This is my beloved Son, 
In whom I take delight." 

The Temptation. 

^T HEN Jesus, with the Spirit filled, 
A And soul exalted high, 
Was led from Jordan's bank into 
The wilderness near by, 

To be tempted of the devil — 

Who in evil most delights. 
There He, with wild beasts, made his home 

For forty days and nights. 

After this the Lord was hungry, 
When the devil came, and said, 

"If thou'rt the Son of God, command 
These stones to be made bread." 

But He answered, "It is written, 
Man doth not live by bread alone, 

But by each word, proceeding 
From God, upon the throne." 

The devil then conducts Him through 

The holy city, fair, 
And sets Him on the temple roof, 

High in the ambient air ; 

And says to Him, "If so Thou be 

The Son of God, indeed, 
Cast thyself down from hence, and for 

Thy safety take no heed ; 

"Since it is written, 'Unto God 

In danger thou shalt flee, 
For to His angel band He gives 

A charge concerning thee.' " 



348 



NEW TESTAMENT STORY IN VERSE. 



Then Jesus unto him replied, 

"Again the written word 
Rebukes presumption and declares, 

Thou shalt not tempt the Lord." 

Again the devil takes Him up 

Into a mountain — high, 
And shows Him all the kingdoms of 

The world, both far and nigh. 

And saith unto Him, "All these things 

Will I give unto thee 
If Thou wilt own my princely power, 

Fall down and worship me." 

Then Jesus called him by his name, 
"Satan," He said, "be gone, 

For it is written, 'Worship pay 
To Israel's God alone.' " 

Then, thus repulsed, the devil fled, 

Pursued his wicked way, 
And angels came and ministered 

Unto their Lord that day. 

The Meeting with John. 

r "T HE next day Jesus, calm and pure, 
* Was walking all alone, 
Down, near the banks of Jordan, 
When He was seen by John ; 

Who said, while pointing unto Him, 
"Behold the Lamb of God, 

Who takes the world's dark sin away, 
And bears the awful load." 

Again did Jesus walk, when John 

With two disciples stood, 
Who, looking on Him, said to them, 

"Behold the Lamb of God!" 

And the disciples, at this word, 
Followed where Jesus went; 



Who, turning, gently asked of them, 
Their purpose and intent. 

"Master," they said, "Where dwellest 
thou?" 

He answer, "Come and see." 
They went, and stayed with Him that day, 

In holy converse free. 

Now, one of these men was Andrew, 
Who, filled with thoughts profound, 

And, meeting his brother, Simon, 
Said, "We the Christ have found." 

And brought him straight to Jesus, who 

Said to him, as he came, 
"Thou'rt Simon, son of Jonah, now 

"Cephas shall be thy name." 

The Meeting with Nathanael. 

HP HE following day would Jesus 
•*• Return to Galilee ; 
And, finding Philip, saith to him, 
"Come thou and follow me." 

Then Philip found Nathanael, 

And, unto him, he saith, 
"We've seen the Christ of proohecy 

Jesus of Nazareth." 

Nathanael answered shortly, 

"Thinkest thou can it be 
That good come out of Nazareth?" 

Saith Philip, "Come and see." 

When. Jesus saw Nathanael come, 

Him did He kindly greet ; 
"Behold an Israelite," He said, 

"In whom is no deceit." 

Nathanael asked, "Whence know'st thou 
me?" 

"Beneath the fig tree's shade, 
Before that Philip called to thee, 

"I saw thee/' Jesus said. 



NEW TESTAMENT STORY IN VERSE. 



349 



Nathanael said to Him, "Rabbi" — 
With wonder overawed — 

"Thou art the King of Israel, 
Thou art the Son of God." 

"Because I told thee," Jesus said, 
"I saw thee 'neath the tree, 

Believest thou? Yet shall thine eyes 
Much greater wonders see. 

"For thou shalt see bright angels, 
Through heaven's open span, 

Ascending and descending 
Upon the Son of man." 

The Marriage at Cana. 

'"P HE third day spent in Galilee 
* There was a marriage feast ; 
In Cana was the wedding held, 
And Mary was a guest. 

And Jesus, to this marriage feast 
Received a formal call — 

The wondrous Gospel Teacher, 
With His disciples all. 

And when more wine was wanted, 

The mother of the Lord 
Requested Him to show His power, 

And wine to them afford. 

But Jesus answered, "Woman, 
My youthful days are o'er, 

And to direct my actions 

Should be your part no more. 

"To show to men, by miracles 
My power, the wondrous sum, 

'Tis mine to choose the proper time 
Which has not fully come." 

Then, Mary to the servants said, 
"Hark what He saith to you ; 



And, whatsoever it may be, 
That thou shalt surely do." 

And there were set six waterpots, 
That cleanly Jews might reach 

To wash their hands, and they contained 
Two or three firkins each. 

Jesus unto the servants said — 
Who paid respect to Him — 

"These vessels all with water fill;" 
They filled them to the brim. 

Then He commanded, "Draw out now, 

And bear a cup well filled 
Unto the ruler of the feast;" 

And they did as He willed. 

And the ruler, when he tasted 
The wine from water made, 

Not knowing how it was produced, 
Unto the bridegroom said: 

"Each man who spreads a feast, sets 
forth 

Good wine at first, of course, 
And, when the guests have drunk it all 

Produces what is worse. 

"But never at a marriage feast 
Has bridegroom done as thou 

Who gave poor wine at first and kept 
The good wine until now." 

Thus, by this first of miracles, 

Did Jesus show His power, 
And His disciples knew Him Christ, 

From that important hour. 

Driuing Out the Money- Changers. 

TP HEN the Jews* passover drew nigh, 
* And to Jerusalem 
Went Jesus, and His followers 
The journey made with Him. 



350 



NEW TESTAMENT STORY IN VERSE. 



But when they reached the temple court 
A market there they found ; 

Creatures on sale, for sacrifice, 
And merchants sitting round. 

Then Jesus made a scourge of cords, 
And drove them all outside, 

And, angered by their wickedness, 
The money scattered wide. 

And the disciples then recalled 
The Psalmist's ancient word, 

"I have been eaten up with zeal 
Unto thy house, my Lord." 

Then said the Jews, "We want to see 

What evidence you show 
That you possess authority 

Such things as these to do ?" 

"Cast down this temple," Jesus said, 

Let its proud walls decay, 
And I will raise it up again, 

Ere three days pass away." 

They answer, "Forty years and six 

This temple took to build, 
And wilt thou rear it in three days ? 

Art thou so strangely skilled?" 

But of his body thus he spoke, 

A temple strong to view, 
And the disciples, when He rose, 

Recalled that word most true. 

Now, while in old Jerusalem, 

At the passover feast, 
Jesus performed great miracles, 

By which His fame increased. 

Yet He gave not His confidence 

To any, great or small, 
Because He read the human mind 

And knew the hearts of all. 



And needed not to be informed 
That man is weak and vain, 

Who will applaud and honor now, 
And persecute again. 

A Ruler of the Jews. 

'T' HERE was a man, a Pharisee, 
■*■ One of the chosen race, 
Who, in the council of the Jews, 
Maintained an honored place. 

The same to Jesus came by night, 
Saying, "Rabbi, well we know 

Thou art from God, for no mere man 
Such miracles can do." 

Jesus replied, "Thou dost believe, 

Yet such a faith as thine 
Is naught, unless thou undergo 

An inward change divine. 

"Except a man be born again, 

I truly say to thee, 
The holy kingdom of his God 

His eyes shall never see." 

Then Nicodemus said, surprised, 
"How can a man, when old 

Become a little babe again, 
Such wonders to behold?" 

And Jesus answered, "Verily, 
The birth of which I speak 

Is by the Spirit's gracious power, 
Which every one must seek. 

"That which is born a little babe 

Is but a fleshly frame, 
But inward birth to all imparts 

The Spirit's living flame. 

"And, as the way the wind doth blow 
Is not known by the sound, 

So shalt thou feel, but not discern, 
The inward change profound." 



NEW TESTAMENT STORY IN VERSE. 



351 



Then Nicodemus asked again, 
"How can these things be so?" 

Christ answered, "Dost thou rule thy race 
And yet these things not know? 

"I verily declare to you 

The truths that are divine, 
And ye receive not in your heart 

These precious words of mine. 

"If I have told you earthly things 

And you do not believe, 
How shall you of these heavenly things, 

My truthful words receive? 

"And no man hath ascended up 

To heaven's throne, above, 
But the eternal Son of man, 

Who hath come down in love. 

"And as a serpent Moses raised, 

Upon on upright pole, 
That those who felt a poisonous bite 

Might look and be made whole, 

"So must the Son of man be raised — 
In hate, and wrath and strife — 

That whoso shall believe on Him 
May have eternal life. 

"For God so loved this sinful world 

He gave His only Son, 
That those who should believe on Him 

Might find their heaven begun. 

'•For God sent not His Son below 

The wicked to condemn: 
But that, through Him, salvation might 

In mercy reach to them. 

"He that believes is saved from death, 
But he that doubts must die ; 

Because he has rejected, thus, 
The Son of God, most high. 



"And this is what condemns their lives, 

That light is shining clear, 
And men love darkness lest their deeds 

Of evil should appear." 

John the Baptist. 

A FTER these things did Jesus go 
** Forth into Judah's land, 
Attended by his followers, 
A faithful holy band. 

John in his holy zeal baptized 

The people all around, 
In Aenon, near to Salim, 

Where water did abound. 

And John's disciples told him all — 

How Jesus, too, baptized, 
And crowds of people went to Him ; 

But John was not surprised. 

He answered, "Man can nothing take, 

Except to him 'tis given, 
And to baptize with water 

Was my command from Heaven. 

"And ye, yourselves, can witness true 

I said, I am not He — 
The Christ, the long expected one — 

He cometh after me. 

"Full happy is the bridegroom, but 
His friend, which standeth near, 

Rejoiceth in his happiness, 
So I am filled with cheer. 

"He will go on, in power and might, 

His glory must increase ; 
While I, His humble forerunner, 

Must dwindle and decrease. 

"He that descendeth from above 

Is Lord and King of all; 
While he that is mere earthly man 

Is tainted by the fall. 



352 



NEW TESTAMENT STORY IN VERSE. 



"He that from heaven comes to earth — 
The mighty Prince and Lord — 

Tells men what He has seen and heard, 
And none receive His word. 

"Yet he that hath received His word 

Hath set his loyal seal, 
That God's eternal righteousness 

He doth to man reveal." 

But John's bold, fearless preaching 
Now, suddenly, must cease — 

How truly he had prophesied 
Unto himself decrease ! 

Wicked Herod. 

TJ EROD, tetrarch of Galilee, 
■*■ * John's teaching oft did seek, 
Thought him a just and holy man, 
And gladly heard him speak. 

Yet Herod had a wicked heart, 
And crime had stained his name, 

For he lived with his brother's wife, 
And none had dared to blame. 

But John, with holy courage, had 

Condemned his sinful life, 
And said, "It is not right for thee 

To have thy brother's' wife." 

Therefore, the woman hated him — 

Herodias was her name — 
And would have killed him if she could, 

With neither fear nor shame. 

But Herod she persuaded, 

To seize the preacher bold, 
And in a dungeon's gloomy cell 

His prisoner to hold. 

Now, when the news of this event 
To Jesus had been brought, 

While in the land of Judah, 

Where He baptized and taught, 



And He well knew that word unto 

The Pharisees had gone, 
How, in His mission here and there, 

He plainly favored John, 

He left Judea's flowerey land, 
And turned His face again 

To Galilee, His early home, 
In Herod's proud domain. 

Yet neither horse nor chariot had 

This royal Son of God ; 
But traveled humbly and afoot 

The hot and dusty road. 

The Woman at the Well. 

TJ IS way lay through Samaria, 
1 A And, as the noon was high, 
He came to Jacob's ancient well, 
The town of Sychar nigh. 

And, wearied with His journey, 
He by the well sat down, 

While His disciples went to buy 
Some food within the town. 

Then, presently, a woman came — 

A daughter of the land, 
To draw some water from the well- 

Her pitcher in her hand. 

And Jesus, full of pitying grace, 
Beyond what we can think, 

Looked gently in the woman's eyes, 
And said, "Give me to drink?" 

And thus, this poor Samaritan, 
Who knew but sin and shame, 

Was led to seek the living draught, 
Found in Messiah's name. 

And she, that single pupil, heard, 
By the old patriarch's well, 

The greatest, grandest lesson 
That e'er from Jesus fell. 



NEW TESTAMENT STORY IN VERSE. 



353 



And she believed. O, woman fair, 
Though fallen thou hadst been, 

The Searcher of all hearts in thee 
The seed of faith had seen; 

And traveled through Samaria, 

To meet you, and to tell 
The new and wondrous doctrine 

That you received so well. 

And now came the disciples back, 
Who wondered that He taught 

One humble woman there alone, 
Yet wherefore no man sought. 

But the woman left her pitcher, 

And to the city went, 
And told to every one she met 

The wonderful event; 

How she had seen a traveler, 

Sitting by Jacob's well, 
Who all her secret history 

Did accurately tell. 

And, "Come and see him !" she exclaimed, 
'Tor he the Christ must be ; 

Such wisdom, dignity and grace 
None e'er possessed as He." 

Meanwhile the Lord's disciples 
Before Him set some meat, 

And urging Him with gentle words, 
Said, "Master, come and eat." 

But, in that hour, no mortal food 
His craving want could fill, 

His heart and mind were wholly set 
To work His gracious will. 

'Twas now the harvest day of souls, 

In old Samaria's fields, 
And He would gather all the fruit 

That faithful labor yields. 



So He, in answer to the call 

That He partake of food, 
Taught the great lesson to all men 

Of always doing good. 

And, now, came the Samaritans 
And begged the Lord to stay 

And lodge within their city's walls, 
And teach them every day. 

And He who hearkens when we ask, 
Complied with their request; 

And in their city He abode 
Two days, an honored guest. 

And many of those men believed 
He was the Christ — the Lord, 

When they beheld His holy life, 
And heard His gracious word. 

The Nobleman's Son. 

A ND, now, upon His journey bent, 
**■ He turned His eager face 
To tread the road to Galilee, 
Urged on by love and grace. 

And on before Him went His fame. 

'Mongst Jews both great and small, 
And teaching in their synagogues, 

Was glorified of all. 

And He was well received by them — 

The men of Galilee — 
Who, at the feast of passover, 

His miracles did see. 

There was a certain nobleman, 

Who in Capernaum dwelt; 
Whose son was sick, and nigh to death, 

And great concern he felt. 

But hearing Jesus had returned 

To Galilee, was glad, 
And hastened to Him, to entreat 

That He would heal the lad. 



23-B.S. 



354 



NEW TESTAMENT STORY IN VERSE. 



Then Jesus said, to try his faith, 

"Unless ye wonders see 
Ye will not yield your hearts to God, 

Nor yet believe on me." 

To this remark the nobleman 

Made no direct reply ; 
But said : "Oh, Sir, come down with me 

Before my child shall die." 

Jesus responded : "Go thy way, 

Thy son doth surely live ;" 
And the man went, nor did he doubt 

The word the Lord did give. 

And as he traveled to his home, 

His servants came to meet, 
And tell him that his son was well ; 

His joy was now complete. 

He asked them when the child improved, 

And they, in answer, said 
"The seventh hour of yesterday 

The burning fever fled." 

That very hour, the father knew 

Had Jesus said he lived ; 
And he, himself, and all his house, 

On Christ, the Lord, believed. 

In the Synagogue. 

Tp HEN Jesus came to Nazareth, 
* His childhood's quiet home; 
And, as to teach on Sabbath days 
His custom had become, 

He, in the synagogue, stood up, 

To read the holy Book ; 
And the writings of Isaias, 

When handed Him, He took; 

And opened it, and found the place 
Wherein the prophet spake 



Of Israel's Messiah, 

Who should their bondage break. 

He read the text, distinct and clear, 
Then closed the Book again, 

And took His seat, while on Him gazed 
The eyes of all the men. 

And He began to say to them : 

"This day, in all your ears, 
This holy Scripture is fulfilled, 

After so many years." 

And they, in awe and wonder, heard 
His words of grace and truth, 

And said : "Is not this Joseph's son, 
Whom we have known from youth ?" 

But soon their kind and gentle mood 

Began to disappear, 
Because He told them homely truths 

They did not wish to hear. 

At last, the fickle people rose 

In wild and wicked wrath, 
Seized Him, and roughly led Him up 

The sloping, hillside path; 

That, in their raging anger, they 
Might cast Him headlong down 

The precipice, one side the hill, 
On which was built their town. 

But He passed through their very midst, 

An unfelt, spirit shape ; 
And left them, standing wonder-struck 

At this most strange escape. 

And so He went from Nazareth; 

His home was there no more ; 
But in Capernaum He dwelt, 

And showed His grace and power. 



NEW TESTAMENT STORY IN VERSE. 



355 



The Draught of Fishes. 

ONE day the Lord stood by the shore 
Of lake Gennesaret; 
And watched the fishermen, as there 
They pulled the outspread net. 

And, as He stood, the people came, 
And pressed upon Him round, 

To hear Him preach the Gospel news, 
Which they so precious found. 

Then Jesus, seeing Simon's ship 
Was anchored close at hand, 

Stepped quick aboard, and gave command 
To push a space from land. 

And, sitting down, He taught the throng 

Who crowded on the shore, 
And heard, with joy, such heavenly truth 

As ne'er was preached before. 

The sermon ended, then He bade 

Simon launch out for fish; 
And Simon answered that he would, 

If 'twere the Master's wish, 

But added : "We have toiled all night, 
Nor sleep nor rest have sought, 

But through the water dragged out nets, 
And yet no fish have caught." 

Still, while he spoke, he launched the ship 

Out on the waters wide, 
And let the net down in the sea, 

The vessel's' rail beside. 

And lo ! at once, with fish 'twas filled, 

A multitude so great 
That the strong net came wide apart, 

So heavy was their weight. 

The fishermen their partners called 

To bring another ship ; 
And soon both vessels were quite full, 

And sinking in the deep. 



Then Simon Peter, in amaze, 

At Jesus' knees fell down ; 
And said : "O Lord, depart from me, 

My sins to Thee are known." 

But Jesus gently said to him : 
"Thou need'st not be afraid ; 

From henceforth thou shalt sinners catch, 
By my Almighty aid." 

And when they brought their ships to land, 
They — Peter, James and John — 

Forsook their vessels and their friends 
And followed Christ alone. 

The Unclean Spirit. 

TV] EXT Sabbath, in the synagogue, 
* ^ When He stood forth to teach, 
The people wondered at His force, 
And mighty power to preach. 

And one was there within whose breast 

A devil foul had sway ; 
Who, held in bondage most unclean, 

Yet sought to praise and pray ; 

But, by the devil moved, cried out, 
And called the Lord by name; 

Declaring that he knew Him well, 
And also whence He came. 

Then Jesus to the devil said : 
"Silence and come thou forth;" 

Who came forth, hurting not the man, 
But casting him to earth. 

And all the people were amazed 

At what they saw that day, 
And said, "With power doth He speak, 

And spirits vile obey." 

And the news spread round the country, 
And was told from place to place, 

Of the wonder-working prophet, 
And this miracle of grace. 



356 



NEW TESTAMENT STORY IN VERSE. 



Simon's Wife's Mother. 

\ I J HEN Jesus left the synagogue 

" * He did not go alone, 
But with Simon and with Andrew, 
Followed by James and John, 

And entered into Simon's house, 
Where they besought His aid, 

For the kind mother of Simon's wife 
Was in a fever laid. 

The raging fever quickly fled 

At His divine behest, 
And she arose and ministered 

To every waiting guest. 

Casting Out Devils. 

lVrOW, when the sun was setting low 
* ^ They brought all the diseased ; 
He laid His hands on every one ; 
To heal them He was pleased. 

And many devils He cast out 
By His command and power ; 

And all the people quickly came 
Together at the door. 

The devils He forbad to speak, 
As they around Him trod — 

For one and all acknowledged Him 
The Christ— the Son of God. 

And so the word Esaias spoke, 
Foretelling Him, came true: 

"Himself bare our infirmities, 
And all our sickness knew." 

The next morn, rising early, 

Before the break of day, 
He went out to a desert place, 

To meditate and pray. 

And Simon and his company 
Went after Him, and said: 



"All seek for Thee and are amazed, 
Supposing Thou hast fled." 

He said to them : "I go to preach 

In other cities too ; 
For therefore came I down from heaven, 

To teach the Gospel true." 

And He preached in their synagogues 

Throughout all Galilee ; 
While, from before Him, as He went, 

He made the demons flee. 

Healing a Leper. 

A ND now it came to pass, one day, 
*** When in a certain town, 
A leper, seeing Jesus, came, 
And on his face fell down. 

And worshipped, and beseeching Him, 
Said : "Lord, if but Thou please, 

Thou hast the power to make me clean, 
From this most foul disease." 

At once the Lord put forth His hand, 

And, with a gracious touch, 
Said : "It doth please me — be thou clean ;" 

Thus prayer availeth much. 

But Jesus charged him not to tell 

The miracle abroad; 
But go straightway unto the priest, 

And offer gifts to God. 

Yet so much more His fame went forth, 

And multitudes came near, 
That He might heal their sicknesses, 

And they His words might hear. 

But He stayed in the desert drear 
While blazed abroad the news, 

Fearing they would proclaim Him King, 
And thus provoke the Jews. 



NEW TESTAMENT STORY IN VERSE. 



357 



After some days He came again 

Into Capernaum ; 
And it was quickly noised abroad 

The Master was at home. 

The Man Sick of the Palsy. 

A XD many people gathered, till 
**■ The house could hold no more; 
Grave doctors and proud Pharisees 
Thronged in and round the door. 

Ann Jesus preached, and taught them all 
The precious, Gospel Word; 

And healed the sick who recognized 
The power of the Lord. 

And now behold a kindly act: 

A bed is borne by four — 
On which one sick of palsy lies — 

Near to the crowded door. 

And when they cannot enter in, 

They to the roof ascend ; 
And, breaking it, let down the bed 

On which is laid their friend. 

Thus to the sick man Jesus spake : 

"Thy sins are all forgiven." 
And then the scribes said in their hearts, 

"Who thus blasphemeth Heaven?" 

Immediately the Lord perceived 
Their thoughts, and answer gave, 

"Which is the easier, from sin 
Or from disease to save? 

"But that ye now may learn the fact, 
And know it from this hour, 

That to forgive all sin on earth 
The Son of man hath power;" 

He said unto the sick man: "Rise, 
Take up thy bed and bear 



It on thy shoulders hence away, 
And to thy house repair." 

Immediately the man arose, 
To perfect health restored; 

And taking up his bed, went home, 
And glorified the Lord. 

The Calling of Matthew. 

1VIOW, after this, as Jesus passed 

Where customs were received, 
He saw a man named Matthew sit 
And, knowing he believed, 

Said to him only : "Follow me," 

And Matthew, leaving all, 
Rose up and the disciples joined, 

At this most simple call. 

Then Matthew — sometimes Levi called- 

Prepared a splendid feast, 
Inviting a great company, 

With Jesus, honored guest! 

But Matthew was a publican, 
On whom the Jews did frown, 

And so were many of his friends, 
Who at the feast sat down. 

And thus the scribes and Pharisees 

To the disciples said : 
"With publicans and sinners vile 

Why doth your Lord eat bread?" 

Then Jesus said : "Not to the well, 

But sick, are doctors sent; 
And I came, not to call the good, 

But sinners to repent. 

The Pool of Bethesda. 

O OON after this, again the feast 
^ Of passover came round, 
And Jesus, at Jerusalem, 
All worshipful was found. 



358 



NEW TESTAMENT STORY IN VERSE. 



For, to fulfill all righteousness 

He taught the people all, 
And joined the service in God's house 

At every stated call. 

Now, in Jerusalem, there is 

At the sheep-gate a pool, 
Bethesda called in Hebrew phrase, 

Five-porched, of water full. 

And in these porches lay a throng, 
Diseased and racked with pain; 

Blind, halt and withered, hoping from 
The water help to gain. 

For, sometimes, down an angel went 

And tossed the quiet pool; 
And who could, after, step in first, 

Was sure to be made whole. 

And one poor sufferer lay there, 

On that unhappy ground, 
Who eight and thirty tedious years 

Infirmity had bound. 

When Jesus, passing, saw him lie, 
He knew his wretched case; 

And He who shares His peoples' woes, 
Looked down with pitying grace ; 

And kindly asked the man : "Wilt thou 

Be healed of thy disease?" 
Well knowing that no earthly boon 

Could more the cripple please ; 

Who answered, in dejected tone, 
"Sir, I have no kind friend — 

Whene'er the water is stirred up — 
His kindly help to lend. 

"But while with slow and painful steps, 

I try to move alone, 
Another suff'rer gets down first, 

Whose limbs are good and strong ;" 



Then Jesus said : "Rise, lift thy bed, 

And walk with it away." 
Immediately the man obeyed; 

And 'twas the Sabbath day. 

The Jews who met him, therefore, said: 

"Thou'rt doing very wrong, 
Upon this holy, Sabbath day, 

To bear thy bed along." 

He answered them : "The man who did 

The wondrous work on me, 
Of healing by His own command 

My long infirmity — 

"He said: Take up thy bed and walk,' 

And, instantly, there came 
A healthful glow through all my limbs, 

With power to do the same." 

Then asked they him : "What man is he, 

Who thus irreverent spake, 
Commanding thee thus wickedly 

The Sabbath law to break?" 

But the healed man knew not the friend 
Who did him so much good ; 

For Jesus bore Himself away 
To escape the multitude. 

But afterward, as Jesu^ taught 

Within the temple gate, 
He found this man and said to him, 

"Behold thy healthy state; 

"Now sin no more, lest worse should come 

Upon the guilty soul." 
Then went the man and told the Jews 

Twas Jesus made him whole 

Therefore the Jews did persecute 

The Lord and seek to slay, 
Because He did these wondrous things 

Upon the Sabbath day. 



NEW TESTAMENT STORY IN VERSE. 



359 



But Jesus preached to them the truth, 
In language strong and clear ; 

And happy were they who believed, 
And lent a willing ear. 

The Man With a Withered Hand. 

A GAIN, as in the synagogue, 
** The Lord on Sabbath taught, 
A man who had a withered hand 
His kind attention sought. 

And scribes and Pharisees around 
Watched if the Lord would use 

His power to heal upon this day, 
That they might Him accuse. 

But He, who knew their evil thoughts, 

Unto the sufferer said : 
"Arise, and stand forth in the midst ;" 

And the poor man obeyed. 

Then He, to those who watched Him, said : 

"I one thing ask of you; 
Is it on Sabbath days correct 

Evil or good to do?" 

But they replied not, then He said : 

"What man among you all 
Shall have one sheep which on this day 

Into a pit shall fall ; 

"And he will not lay hold on it, 

And quickly lift it out? 
That man is better than a sheep, 

You surely cannot doubt. 

"Wherefore 'tis lawful thus to do 
Good on the Sabbath days ;" 

And He looked on them with surprise, 
Grieved by their wicked ways. 

Then to the man who meekly stood, 
Waiting the Lord's command, 

In centre of the synagogue, 

He said: "Stretch forth thine hand." 



And though the hand hung helpless down, 
The heart with faith was strong; 

And instantly ran vital force 
The arm's whole length along. 

Then went the haughty Pharisees 

And the Herodians rude, 
And held a council to destroy 

Him who did only good, 

But Jesus, knowing it, withdrew, 
Still followed by the crowd ; 

He healed them all, but charged that they 
Speak not His name aloud. 

The Twelve are Chosen. 

A ND then up to a mountain's side, 
** One day, the path He trod, 
And there alone He bowed Himself 
All night in prayer to God; 

And in the morning called all those 
Who Him their Master claimed, 

And, from amongst them, chose out 
twelve, 
Whom He apostles named. 

And He ordained this favored few, 

With privilege to each 
To be with Him when He so willed, 

Or be sent forth to preach ; 

And to have power to heal the sick 
The dumb, the halt, the blind, 

And cast all evil spirits out, 
That vex and curse mankind. 

And these were the twelve chosen men : 

Simon, to whom the Lord 
Had given the name of Peter — 

A stone, both strong and hard ; 

And Andrew, Simon's brother, and 

The sons of Zebadee, 
Bold James and John, whom Jesus said 

Should Boanerges be, 



360 



NEW TESTAMENT STORY IN VERSE. 



Which means the sons of thunder, and 

Philip, Bartholomew, 
Matthew and Thomas, James and Jude, 

Both sons of Alpheus true; 

Simon, who was a Canaanite — 

By Luke Zelotes named — 
And Judas called Iscariot; 

Traitor, for evil famed. 

Healing the Sick. 

T T E then descended to the plain, 
* * To seek for food and rest, 
When all the people of the land 
In crowds around Him pressed. 

The weary sick and those who felt 
The pangs of racking pain, 

And others vexed with devils hoped 
From Him relief to gain ; 

And, following, sought to touch Him, 
As power from Him had flown ; 

But in compassion He beheld 
And healed them, every one. 

The Sermon on The Mount. 

A GAIN, up to the mountain side 
-**• He went, and took His seat; 
And His disciples followed Him, 
And gathered round His feet. 

And lifting up His eyes on them, 
He raised His voice to teach, 

Declaring those exalted truths 
He came on earth to preach. 

He told them, first, the blessedness 

Of purity and grace; 
And that the souls most like to God 

Should see the Father's face. 



Then told them of their high estate, 

Their privilege sublime, 
To upright stand, and shed forth light 

Upon the realms of time. 

And taught them of the moral law, 

And of the law of love, 
For heart and spirit to be kept, 

All human laws above. 

In simple words He framed for them 

A solemn, fervent prayer, 
By which they could approach to God, 

And on Him cast their care. 

He taught that, if their neighbors' faults 

Were lovingly forgiven, 
They all might claim in humble faith 

The Fatherhood of Heaven. 

Then charged them 'gainst the error made 

From that time until now, 
That men to different mastors 

Allegiance can avow. 

"For God," He said, "ye cannot serve, 

And mammon serve beside ; 
In love to one and not to both, 

Your spirit must abide." 

He then the precious lesson taught 

Of God's vast providence, 
Which is our faithful guardian, 

And our secure defence. 

The little songsters of the air, 

The lilies of the field, 
Are fed, and clothed, from day to day, 

While they no forethought yield. 

And man, much better in His sight — 

How little faith has he, 
To doubt the providential care 

That all his needs can see! 



362 



NEW TESTAMENT STORY IN VERSE. 



"Seek first the kingdom of your God, 

His righteousness divine, 
And all the stores of earthly good 

Shall graciously be thine." 

The Preacher then went on to charge 
'Gainst judging others' sin — 

Those fond of spying evil deeds, 
Should with their own begin. 

And they who ask, or seek, or knock, 

God never will deny; 
And men to other men should do 

As they would be done by. 

And it is wise to enter in 

The narrow way and straight; 

And shun the way where many go — 
The wide and open gate. 

Though men may openly appear 

What they are not within ; 
Yet you shall know, if in their lives 

You see the fruit of sin. 

For every good and perfect tree 
Doth faultless fruit bring forth ; 

But when you see an evil tree, 
Its fruit is nothing worth. 

And each tree bearing not good fruit 

Into the fire is cast; 
Wherefore, 'tis by their deeds ye know 

The doom of all, at last. 

"Not every one who says to Me ; 

"Lord, Lord,' shall enter heaven; 
But he that does my Father's will ; 

And knows his sins forgiven. 

"Many will say to me that day: 
T've done good in Thy Name;' 

I never knew you, I will say, 
I disregard your claim. 



"Therefore, who hears these words of 
mine 

And doth not doubt or mock, 
Is like a man who wisely built 

His house upon a rock. 

"And the rain fell and floods came on, 
And winds blew fierce and long; 

But that house stood, securely firm, 
On its foundation strong. 

"And every one that hears my words 

And disobeys, shall stand 
Like to a foolish man, who built 

His house upon the sand; 

"And the rain fell and floods came on, 
And winds blew round and round 

Upon that house, and soon it fell 
In ruins on the ground." 

The Centurion's Servant. 
A ND, now, when Jesus entered 
**• Into Capernaum; 
A Centurion besought Him for 
A servant, sick at home. 

"I will come," He said, "and heal him." 
The Centurion answered: "Lord, 

I am not worthy Thou should'st come, 
But only speak the word. 

"For I, myself, am in command, 

And whatsoe'er I say 
To one, or to another man, 

They instantly obey." 

When Jesus heard him, in surprise 

He said to those around : 
"I verily, in Israel, 

Such great faith have not found." 

Then said to the Centurion : "Go, 
Thy faith the work has sealed ;" 

And in the self -same hour he found 
His servant had been healed, 



NEW TESTAMENT STORY IN VERSE. 



363 



Raising the Widow's Son. 

IT came to pass upon the day 
Succeeding this event, 
That as He journeyed on His way, 
Much people with Him went. 

Along the road He traveled on, 

Until He came to Nain ; 
When, just outside the city gate, 

He met a funeral train. 

In sorrow they were bearing forth 

A weeping widow's son ; 
And many sympathized with her — 

He was her only one. 

And when the Lord saw her He had 

Compassion on her grief; 
And said unto her: "Weep no more, 

I bring you sure relief." 

He touched the bier, and all the friends 

Stood still in mute surprise, 
When to the dead He spoke: "Young 
man, 

I say to thee arise." 

And the dead youth sat up, alive, 

And to her speechless joy, 
The mother from the Lord received 

Her resurrected boy. 

The Pharisee and the Woman. 

T T happened that a Pharisee 
* Invited Christ to eat, 
When a poor, sinful woman came 
And worshipped at His feet ; 

And washed them with her copious tears, 
And wiped them with her hair, 

And kissed them, and anointed them 
With ointment rich and rare. 



The Pharisee, within himself, 
Said: "If this man were wise, 

And were a prophet, he would know 
This sinner to despise." 

And Jesus, answering his thought, 
Explained the woman's love: 

She was a sinner who, now saved, 
Her gratitude would prove. 

And while the guests in wonder gazed, 

He to the woman spoke : 
"Thy sins are all forgiven — thy faith 

Hath broken Satan's yoke." 

The Blind and Dumb Man. 

A GAIN a man they bring to Him, 
-** Of Satan sore possessed, 
Both blind and dumb, in wretched plight, 
But Jesus gave him rest. 

The sufferer both spake and saw, 

When people, every one, 
Who saw this miracle, exclaimed: 

"Is not this David's Son?" 

But the proud Pharisees, in heart 

Ignored this title true ; 
And said the wondrous healing gift 

To Satan's power was due. 

Then Jesus knew their thoughts and said : 

"What Ipgic ye command ! 
If Satan cast out Satan, then 

His kingdom cannot stand." 

The Storm on Galilee. 

A ND as the multitudes increased, 

** And thronged about the Lord, 

He said : "I other towns must seek, 

And in them preach the word." 



364 



NEW TESTAMENT STORY IN VERSE. 



So He commandment forwith gave 

That His disciples go, 
And get a ship in readiness, 

Across the lake to row. 

Then a certain scribe said : "Master, 

I'll follow Thee to-day, 
By land or water, wheresoe'er 

Thou goest or shalt stay." 

And Jesus answered : "Foxes can 

Run into holes for rest, 
And every bird of air can fly 

Into a pleasant nest ; 

"But no place hath the Son of Man 

Whereof it can be said: 
'That is His home, where He may lay 

In peace His weary head.' ' 

The scribe had nothing more to say ; 

He, doubtless, did not care 
The fortunes of so poor a man 

To follow and to share. 

Another said : "Lord, let me go 
My father's grave to make." 

Said Jesus : "Let the world do that, 
Come thou, my portion take." 

And now the followers of Christ 

Were all aboard the ship, 
And He, o'ercome with weariness, 

Lay down and fell asleep. 

And the disciples, in alarm, 
Their Master woke from sleep ; 

"Lord, we must have thine instant help 
Or perish in the deep ;" 

When He, in calm and gentle voice, 
Said : "Wherefore do ye fear, 

O ye of little faith and trust. 
While I, your Lord, am here?" 



Then He arose in dignity, 

And spoke His sovereign will, 

Commanding both the winds and sea 
To hearken and be still. 

And instantly all nature's face 

A tranquil aspect wears, 
Hushed is the tempest, and the sky 

Again serene appears. 

The men each to the others, said, 

In awe and great amaze : 
"What kind of man is this, whose word 

The fearful storm obeys ?" 

The Legion of Devils. 

jVTOW when they reached the other side, 
* * All fright and danger o'er, 
The country of the Gadarenes 
Received them to its shore. 

But many steps they have not gone 

To reach the city near, 
When suddenly two unclad men 

From 'mongst the tombs appear. 

By unclean spirits sorely vexed, 
No firm restraints could hold 

Their demon-strengthened limbs, or keep 
Their frantic souls controlled. 

And in the mountains and the tombs, 
With cries, both night and day, 

They cut themselves, and caused such 
fear, 
None dared to pass that way. 

But when the Lord approached, a change 
Came o'er these men possessed ; 

One fled — the other, falling down 
In worship, sore distressed, 

Cried: "What have I to do with Thee, 
Jesus, Thou Son of God? 






NEW TESTAMENT STORY IN VERSE. 



365 



Torment me not, nor banish me 
To my most drear abode." 

Then Jesus said : "Come out of him, 

Thou unclean spirit, vile, 
And let thy presence ne'er again 

His tortured soul defile." 

And then He asked : "What is thy name ?" 

"Legion," the man did say, 
For many, many devils bold 

Within him had held sway. 

The devils, knowing they no more 
In this poor man could dwell, 

Imploringly besought the Lord 
To drive them not to hell ; 

And seeing a great herd of swine 

Upon the mountain side, 
Begged His consent to enter them, 

With which the Lord complied. 

But though there were two thousand swine 
They could not fight nor flee, 

The legion entered them, and all 
Rushed headlong in the sea. 

And they that fed the swine, alarmed, 

Ran hastily away, 
And told in town and country round 

The wonders of that day. 

Then every one went out to see 
What wondrous things were done, 

And still and calm the country lay, 
And all the swine were gone. 

And he who long had raged around, 

A terror to mankind, 
Sat peacefully at Jesus' feet, 

Clothed, and of rightful mind. 



And they who saw the miracle, 
With eager tongues revealed 

How he of legion once possessed 
So suddenly was healed. 

Then the whole multitude from all 

The country round appear, 
And beg the Lord to leave their coasts 

For they were filled with fear. 

Now, as the Lord took ship again, 
The man thus saved from woe, 

Prayed that he might be with the Christ, 
Wherever He should go. 

But Jesus answered : "Nay, return 

To thine own house, and tell 
What God hath done for the, and hence 

With thine own kindred dwell." 

And the man did as Jesus said, 

And told to great and small 
Of his most glad deliverance 

From Satan's dreadful thrall. 

The Daughter of Jarius. 
T T came to pass as Jesus thence 
* Returned, across the sea, 
Many He found awaiting Him — 
The men of Galilee. 

And behold, Jarius, ruler of 

The synagogue, drew near, 
And knelt at Jesus' feet, and prayed, 

In great distress and fear, 

That Jesus to his house would go 

And heal his dying child — 
A little daughter, twelve years old, 

In manners sweet and mild. 

Then Jesus, whose glad work it was 

To cheer each broken heart, 
Went with him, followed by the crowd. 

Who would not from Him part. 



NEW TESTAMENT STORY IN VERSE. 



And a poor woman, suffering 

From a severe disease, 
Who, for twelve years, her money all 

Had spent in doctors' fees ; 

When told that He was passing by 

Came in the crowd, behind, 
And said: "If I may touch His clothes, 

I sure relief shall find." 

And, stooping down, she gently touched 
His garment's hem : when, lo ! 

She felt the fountain of her plague 
Had ceased at once to flow. 

When He, perceiving in Himself 

Some loss of power Divine, 
Turned and demanded of the crowd : 

"Who touched this robe of mine?" 

Then His disciples said to Him : 
"The people throng round Thee, 

They closely press on every side, 
And sayest Thou : "Who touched me ?' " 

But He still looked around, when she, 

Knowing she was not hid, 
Came, trembling, fell down at His feet, 

And told Him what she did. 

But He said, kindly : "Daughter, thou 

This act must not deplore, 
Thy faith hath healed thee, go in peace ; 

No plague shall vex thee more !" 

And while He spoke, from Jairus* house 
Came messengers, who said : 

"Trouble the Master now no more ; 
The little maid is dead." 

But Jesus to the ruler turned, 
And said : "You need not grieve ; 

All shall be well with thee and thine, 
If only thou believe." 



Before He reached the ruler's house, 

He told the rest to wait, 
And none but Peter, James and John, 

Went with Him through the gate. 

And when He entered in the house, 

He found it full of grief, 
Nor did the mourning company 

Expect from Him relief. 

Then He said gently to the friends : 
"Why make this noise, and weep? 

The damsel is not truly dead, 
But taketh rest in sleep." 

And they all laughed — a laugh of scorn — 
Well knowing she was dead, 

When He turned out the sneering crowd, 
And calmly onward led. 

The father and the mother, who 

No doubting did betray, 
And His believing followers, 

To where the maiden lay ; 

Then took her gently by the hand, 
And said, with pitying eyes: 

"Talitha Cumi ; damsel, I 
Now say to thee arise." 

Then instantly the maid arose, 

And walked upon her feet, 
When He in kindness ordered that 

They give her food to eat. 

Two Blind Men Healed. 

1VTOW when the Lord departed thence, 
* ^ Two blind men followed close, 
And, "Oh! Thou Son of David," cried, 
"Have mercy upon us." 

And when He reached His lodging house, 

The blind men entered too ; 
Then Jesus asked : "Do ye believe 

That I this thing can do ?" 



NEW TESTAMENT STORY IN VERSE. 



367 



They said: "Yea, Lord;" then did He 
touch 

Their eyes, with fingers kind, 
And said : "According to your faith, 

Be ye no longer blind." 

Forthwith they saw, and Jesus charged 

That they let no man know ; 
But they went out and spread His fame 

Wherever they did go. 

The Disciples Sent Forth. 

STRAIGHTWAY the Lord departed 
thence, 
And came to His own home, 
And in the synagogue He taught 
When Sabbath-day had come. 

The people wondered at His words, 
And asked : "How can it be 

That this man has such power gained 
As we both hear and see ? 

"For is not this the carpenter? 

We know his mother well ; 
His brethren and his sisters, too, 

All here among us dwell." 

And so they took offence at Him, 

And Jesus said : "In vain 
A prophet much esteemed abroad 

At home would honor gain." 

And He could do no mighty works — 

Save healing a few sick, 
And teaching in the villages — 

Because their faith was weak. 

But looking on the people with 

Compassion in His heart, 
As scattered sheep, and ignorant — 

He called the twelve apart, 



And sent them forth, through all the land, 

To preach, by two and two, 
To the lost sheep of Israel, 

The Gospel, pure and true. 

Death of John the Baptist. 

TJ EROD, the king, his birthday kept, 
* * And festive supper spread, 
For lords, high captains and chief men, 
Of Galilee the head. 

And with the flowing of rich wines, 

And strains of music sweet, 
The daughter of Herodias danced 

On light and airy feet; 

Which dancing so much pleased the king 

He promised, with an oath, 
That whatsoever she would ask 

He'd give her — nothing loth. 

The daughter of her mother asked : 

"What gift shall I desire?" 
The wicked woman answered her : 

"John Baptist's head require." 

Straightway the brazen damsel came, 

And, with petition bold, 
Demanded John the Baptist's head, 

Just as she had been told. 

Although the king was sorely grieved, 
He would not break his word, 

In honor of the company 

By whom the oath was heard. 

Now, soon as John's disciples knew 

Of his most cruel doom, 
They took his body, tenderly, 

And laid it in a tomb ; 

And to the Master straightly told 

What had befallen John — 
The deed which at the king's command 

His servile guard had done. 



368 



NEW TESTAMENT STORY IN VERSE. 



But fear's dread torment soon drew near, 
When Herod heard the news 

Of the wonder working Jesus, 
Now preaching to the Jews. 

And he, with pale and trembling lips, 

Unto his servants said : 
"This is the Baptist whom I slew, 

Arisen from the dead. 

"Therefore do wondrous works in him 
Show forth themselves, to prove 

That he a mighty prophet was, 
Appointed from above." 

Feeding the Multitude. 

'"F HE twelve apostles, when the time 
* For their return had come, 
Betook themselves with one accord 
To Jesus, at His home; 

And told Him all things that befell 

While they had been away ; 
What they had done, what they had taught, 

And how they fared each day. 

Then Jesus at Bethsaida 

Was with compassion moved, 

To see the people crowd around — 
The sheep He so much loved. 

He talked to them of God and heaven — 

The land above all lands — 
And healed as many as had need 

Of healing at His hands. 

Then said the twelve : "Lord do Thou send 

The multitude away, 
That they some victuals may procure 

Before the close of day." 

But Jesus knew that poverty 

Oppressed the multitude, 
And kindly to His followers said: 

"Can ye not give them food ?" 



"Two hundred pennyworth of bread," 

Philip at once replied, 
"Would not a little food for each 

Of this great crowd provide." 

Then Andrew, Peter's brother, spoke : 

"Here is a lad," he said, 
"Who two small fishes has, beside 

Five loaves of barley bread. 

"But, what are they to such a crowd?" 
The Lord said : "Bring them here. 

Then seat the people on the grass, 
By fifties, far and near." 

And taking in His hands the bread 
And fish, He looked toward heaven 

And blest it in the name of Him 
From whom all bread is given; 

Then brake, and the disciples passed 

The broken food around 
To all the multitude, who sat 

Expectant on the ground. 

Then Jesus said : "Go, gather up 
The fragments careless tossed 

Upon the ground, in wanton waste, 
That nothing may be lost." 

And the disciples — patient men, 
Went, stooping, o'er the field, 

And fragment of the late repast 
Twelve baskets full did yield. 

And when the Lord perceived that they 

Did meditate to bring 
United force with the intent 

That they might crown Him king, 

He urged that His disciples should 
Take ship and cross the sea, 

While He dispersed the multitudes, 
And followed secretly. 



NEW TESTAMENT STORY IN VERSE. 



369 



Jesus Walks Upon the Sea. 

\\T HEN Jesus, up the mountain side 
^* Ascended all alone, 
To spend some hours in peaceful prayer 
Before His Father's throne. 

Meanwhile the twelve were toiling hard 

In rowing o'er the lake, 
But 'gainst the stormy winds they could 

But little progress make. 

And Jesus, on the mountain high, 

Engaged in fervent prayer, 
Looks on the lake and sees his friends, 

And feels their toil and care. 

Now comes the fourth watch of the night ; 

The tired men still row 
Against a rising, boisterous sea, 

While angry tempests blow. 

But now, amid the wild uproar, 

And darkness of the storm, 
They saw approaching, o'er the waves, 

Their Master's much loved form. 

They failed to recognize their Lord, 
With storm and darkness near, 

Supposed He was a spirit form, 
And cried aloud for fear. 

Then straightway Jesus hushed their cries ; 

"Be of good cheer," He said; 
They knew the kind, assuring voice : 

" 'Tis I, be not afraid." 

Then Peter, warm, impulsive, bold, 

Said : "Lord, if it be Thou, 
Bid me and let me come to Thee 

Upon the waters now." 

Jesus said : "Come." Then Peter stepped 

Over the vessel's side, 
And walked securely and alone 

Upon the stormy tide. 

24-B.S. 



His eyes were on the Master fixed, 

But, looking on the wave, 
At once he did begin to sink, 

And cried out: "Lord! Oh, save!" 

Then Jesus quickly stretched His hand 
And raised the sinking man, 

Said: "Wherefore did'st thou doubt?' 
and placed 
Him on his feet again. 

And when they step aboard the ship, 

There is a sudden peace, 
The wind is still, the stars are bright, 

The waves their motion cease. 

And the disciples, bending low, 

Their spirits deeply awed, 
Said : "Of a truth we now are sure 

Thou art the Son of God." 

Then comes to pass another thing, 

They cannot understand; 
The ship, so lately out at sea, 

Is now quite close to land. 

And, resting from their hours of toil, 
And filled with wonder deep, 

The twelve around their Master's feet 
Lie down in peaceful sleep. 

The Bread from Heaven. 

HT HE next day, for the absent Lord, 
* The people searched around, 
Near to the place where He had fed 
Five thousand on the ground. 

Then Jesus said : "Ye seek me not 

In honor of my power, 
But for the bread I brake to you 

In hunger's helpless hour. 

"Labor not so for earthly meat, 

Which perisheth away, 
But for that meat which shall endure 

Through everlasting day." 



370 



NEW TESTAMENT STORY IN VERSE. 



And then He preached to them the words 

Of saving, Gospel truth, 
Of Bread that keeps the soul in strength 

And in immortal youth. 

He told them that He was the Bread 
Which had been sent from heaven, 

That Bread of everlasting life, 
To all believers given. 

And some went back, and walked no more 
With Him— the Truth, the Way ; 

Then to the chosen twelve He said : 
"Will ye, too, go away?" 

Then Simon Peter answered Him : 
"Lord, to whom shall we go ? 

Thou hast the words of endless life; 
From Thee doth wisdom flow. 

"And we believe, and we are sure 

That Thou are Jesse's Rod; 
The promised Christ of Israel — 

Son of the living God." 

Jesus said : "Have I not chosen 

Twelve of you to believe, 
And witness to a sinful world 

The truth which ye receive ; 

"And one of you a devil is?" 

He spoke of Judas vile, 
Who should, by wicked treachery, 

The bishopric defile. 

Now, when around Capernaum 
The Lord had done much good, 

He rose and traveled forth, to where 
Old Tyre and Sidon stood ; 

And entered in a house, that He 

Might of the crowd be rid, 
And rest in peace there for a day ; 

But He could not be hid. 



For a woman, whose young daughter 
Had an unclean spirit, heard 

That He was that great prophet who 
Could heal her with a word. 

And, hast'ning to Him, she knelt down, 
And bowed her weeping face, 

Relating in His willing ear 
Her daughter's grievous case. 

But Jesus answered not a word ; 

The apostles wondered why, 
And said to Him : "Send her away, 

We're weary of her cry." 

And then He said : "I am not sent 

Save to the sheep astray 
From Israel's fold — beloved of God — 

To guide them in the way." 

Now this poor woman was a Greek, 

And of Phoenician birth ; 
But she believed great David's Son 

Was Prince of all the earth ; 

And that He loved all human kind, 

Of every degree; 
So, drawing near, she worshipped Him 

Exclaiming : "Lord, help me !" 

Then He replied : "It is not meet 
To take the children's bread 

And cast it out to dogs, while they — 
The children — are not fed." 

But she said : "Yea, Lord, very true, 
Yet dogs, Thou know'st, do eat 

The crumbs that from the table fall, 
Beneath the children's feet." 

"O, woman," Jesus answered then, 
"Great is thy trusting faith ; 

And be it unto thee, and thine, 
Whatever thy heart saith." 



NEW TESTAMENT STORY IN VERSE. 



371 



And she went joyful to her house, 

And found the devil fled, 
And her fair daughter calm and well, 

And laid upon her bed. 

Feeding the Hungry. 
A ND now, this gracious work performed 
**■ The Lord returned again 
Unto the sea of Galilee, 

And through Decapolis plain. 

Unto a mountain He repaired, 

And sought a quiet seat ; 
But many sufferers followed Him, 

And crowded round His feet. 

The eager multitudes brought forth 
The blind, and dumb, and lame, 

And Jesus healed them, every one, 
Who to His presence came. 

And all the people glorified 

The God of Israel; 
And, much astonished, they exclaimed, 

"He hath done all things well !" 

Then the Lord sent the people home, 

And, taking ship again, 
Sailed with the twelve along the sea, 

Unto Magdala's plain. 

There Pharisees and Sadducees 
Came, tempting Him, and sought 

A sign from heaven that they might know 
The doctrines that He taught. 

But He refused to give a sign 

To hypocrites so base, 
And leaving them, and taking ship, 

Sailed to another place. 

Curing the Blind. 
jVTOW, coming to Bethsaida, 
* They bring a blind man down, 
Beseeching Him to touch him, 
But He leads him out of town. 



Then, spitting, moistens the blind eyes, 

And asks him if he sees ; 
And the man looks up and answers : 

"I see men walk, as trees." 

Then Jesus put His gentle hands 

On the man's eyes again, 
Made him look up — his eyes were healed, 

And he saw all things plain. 

The Apostle Peter. 

T^HEN, after that, as Jesus with 
* His twelve disciples walked 
To Caesarea Philippi, 

And gravely with them talked, 

He asked them who the people said 
That He, Himself, might be; 

They answered John, Elias, and 
The prophet Jeremy. 

He saith : "But whom say ye am I, 
Who long with you have trod?" 

Peter exclaimed : "Thou art the Christ, 
Son of the living God !" 

Then Jesus answered him : "How blest 

Simon Bar-jona, thou, 
For flesh and blood hath not revealed 

What thou, from heaven, dost know. 

"And I say also unto thee, 

That thou art Peter sure, 
And on this rock I'll build my church 

From gates of hell secure. 

"Keys of authority and truth 

Shall unto thee be given; 
What thou dost bind or loose on earth 

Is bound and loosed in heaven." 

From that time forth the Lord began 

To tell, and to explain 
To His disciples, how He should 

Be killed, and rise again. 



372 



NEW TESTAMENT STORY IN VERSE. 



But Peter said : "Nay, nay, my Lord 

This, surely, shall not be ; 
Such treatment of the Prince of Life — 

Were great indignity." 

But Jesus turned and said to him : 

"Satan, get thee behind, 
Thou savorest not the things of God, 

But pride of carnal mind." 

And then said Jesus to them all : 

"Who will my servant be, 
Must deny self, take up his cross, 

And humbly follow me. 

"For whosoe'er will save his life, 

Shall lose it in the end ; 
But he who yields it for my sake, 

To life in heaven shall tend. 

"For what is a man profited 

If he shall gain the whole 
Of this world's pompous wealth and 
power, 

Yet lose his own poor soul?" 

Jesus is Transfigured. 

TV TOW Jesus tarried round these coasts 
* ^ Till six days passed away ; 
Then He took Peter, James and John 
Up in a mount to pray. 

And, as He prayed, His face was changed, 

And shining as the Sun ; 
His raiment became white as snow, 

When glistening at noon. 

And while He thus transfigured stood, 

In His apostles' sight, 
They suddenly beheld two men 

Appear, with Him, in light. 

'Twas Moses and Elias, who 
Talked feelingly with Him 



About the death He must endure 
Soon at Jerusalem. 

Then Peter spoke — his heart was full 

Of holy love and fear: 
"Lord, it is good," he said, "for us 

To dwell forever here. 

"Let us three tabernacles build ; 

The first shall be for Thee, 
One be for Moses, man of God, 

One for Elias be." 

He spoke his heart's sincere desire, 

But ere the words were said, 
A bright cloud overshadowed them, 

And covered every head. 

And from the cloud a voice was heard, 

"This is my Son beloved, 
In whom I am well pleased — hear Him, 

If ye would be approved!" 

When the disciples heard the voice, 

They fell upon their face, 
O'ercome by fear and sore dismay, 

In that most awful place. 

And Jesus, touching each one, said : 

"Arise and do not fear;" 
And when they looked around they saw 

No one but Jesus near. 

And as they came down from the mount, 

He bade them not disclose 
What they had seen and heard that day, 

Till from the dead He rose. 

And they obeyed, and of that scene 

No word to others said ; 
But 'mongst themselves enquired what 
meant 

The rising from the dead. 



NEW TESTAMENT STORY IN VERSE. 



373 



An Only Child Healed. 

THE next day, coming to the place 
Where they had left the nine, 
They found a crowd, glad to behold 
The Master's face, Divine. 

He asked the scribes : "What question ye 

With my disciples here?" 
When one in haste approaching Him, 

And kneeling down in fear, 

Said : "Lord, have mercy on my son — 

He is my only child ; 
And a dumb spirit tortures him, 

And makes him fierce and wild. 

"And often in the fire he falls, 

And in the water too ; 
And I spoke to Thy disciples, 

But they could nothing do." 

Then Jesus said : "O, men perverse, 

Why can ye not believe ? 
How long shall I be with you ere 

The faith ye will receive?" 

Then to the father : "Bring to me 
Your son." The child was brought, 

When he fell, foaming, on the ground, 
By the foul spirit wrought. 

Then Jesus asked the man : "How long 
Has he been troubled thus?" 

He answered : : "From a little child ; 
But, Lord, canst Thou help us ?" 

Jesus replied: "If thou hast faith, 
Then thou shalt have relief." 

The man cried out: "Lord, I believe; 
Help Thou mine unbelief." 

Then Jesus to the demon spoke : 

"Deaf and dumb spirit sore, 
I charge thee to come out of him, 

And enter him no more." 



The spirit cried and troubled him, 

Till, like one dead, he fell ; 
But Jesus took him by the hand, 

And, lo ! the child was well. 

And now the Master and the twelve 

Into a house retired ; 
And the nine came to Him and asked 

That which they most desired : 

The twelve then asked : "Why could we 
not 

Cast out that spirit, pray?" 
He said : "Because your unbelief 

Stood boldly in the way. 

"For, verily, if ye have faith 

As a small, mustard grain, 
Then shall unto this mountain say, 

'Remove to yonder plain.' 

"It shall remove. Nothing shall be 

Impossible to you; 
Yet these foul spirits go not, save 

By prayer and fasting, too." 

Jesus Teaches Humility. 
/~\ NE day while Jesus sat at rest 
^-^ He asked the twelve to say 
What was it they disputed, as 
They walked along the way. 

But they replied not, for they had 

Disputed which should gain 
The greatest rank and power, w T hen 

Their Lord should come to reign. 

Then Jesus said: "If any man 

Desire the highest place, 
He shall be last, and servant, too, 

Within the realm of grace." 

He set a child in midst of them, 

Then took him in His arm, 
And said : "Whoso receiveth such, 

And shieldeth him from harm, 



374 



NEW TESTAMENT STORY IN VERSE. 



"Receiveth me, if, with true love, 

He does it in my name, 
And not only receiveth me, 

But Him from whom I came." 

The Young Lawyer. 
A ND now behold a lawyer rose 
** With tempting question vain, 
And said : "Master, what must I do 
Eternal life to gain?" 

Jesus addressed His questioner 
With manner frank and kind, 

And by a parable He taught 
His keen and doubting mind ; 

Told of the good Samaritan 

Who succored a poor Jew ; 
Then, in conclusion, counseled him : 

"Go thou and like wise do." 

At Bethany. 

A ND as they went, He and the twelve, 
** Along the public road, 
They entered into Bethany, 
Where Martha, kind, abode ; 

Who hospitably welcomed Him 

Into her house to rest, 
Then hastened to provide for Him 

Refreshments of the best. 

Meanwhile her sister Mary, 
Who long had wished to meet 

The gracious Lord and hear His voice 
Sat meekly at His feet. 

But Martha, cumbered and perplexed 
With anxious, household care, 

And wishing for her welcome Guest 
A banquet to prepare, 

Entered the room where Jesus sat, 
And said : "Lord, dost Thou know 



My sister lets me serve alone? 
Bid her some help bestow." 

And Jesus answered in a tone 

Of grace yet kind concern, 
"O, Martha, Martha, good and true, 

Thou something hast to learn. 

"Thou careful art, and troubled much 

All good things to enjoy, 
And that thy friends may feast full well 

Thy time and means employ; 

"And yet there's but one needful thing, 
Worthy thine utmost thought, 

And that good part is Mary's choice, 
Which from her take thou not." 

The Lord's Prayer. 

A GAIN, did Jesus journey on, 
*"■ When, in a certain place, 
He lifted up His voice in prayer 
With unction, power and grace. 

When He had ceased one of the twelve 
Said: "Lord, teach us to pray, 

As John taught those who followed him, 
"We wish to do as they." 

He taught them then that form of prayer 

Which pure devotion is ; 
Known as The Lord's Prayer ever since, 

Because the words are His. 

Then on He went, and preached the truth, 

Along each country road, 
And taught the people, high and low, 

The love and fear of God ; 

And told them how God answers prayer, 
If prayer be warm and true — 

With far more loving, swift response 
Than earthly parents do. 



NEW TESTAMENT STORY IN VERSE. 



375 



The Woman with an Infirmity. 

NOW, in a synagogue, as He 
One Sabbath day did preach, 
Behold a woman, quite bowed down 
And listening to His speech, 

A poor, afflicted sufferer, 

Who bore with groans and tears, 
A spirit of infirmity 

For fully eighteen years. 

Upon her Jesus laid His hand, 
And, suddenly made straight, 

She rose and glorified her God, 
Whose mercies are so great. 

The ruler of the synagogue, 

Indignant that the Lord 
Upon the Sabbath day had wrought 

This healing by His word, 

Unto the people said : "There are 

Six days in which you may 
Do all your works ; — in them be healed— 

Not on the Sabbath day." 

Then Jesus answered: "Hypocrite, 

Doth not each of you think 
It right, on Sabbath day, to lead 

His beast away to drink? 

"And ought not this poor woman, who 

Is Abraham's daughter, be 
Made loose from pain she bore so long 

Through Satan's tyranny?" 

And all His adversaries were 
Ashamed when thus He chid, 

While others wondered and rejoiced 
For all the works He did. 



The Man Born Blind. 

Y\ 7HEN, coming near His journey's 
VV end, 

Jerusalem was nigh, 
He, one day, saw a man, born blind, 
As He was passing by. 

And His disciples questioned Him : 
"Master, whose sin hath done 

Such evil as is this man's lot — 
His parents' or his own?" 

And Jesus answered : "Neither hath 

His parents sinned nor he, 
But that the works of God, in him, 

Might be made plain to see. 

"I must perform my Father's works 

While it is day ; the night 
Is coming, when no man can work; 

But I am the world's light, 

"As long as I am in the world." 
And when He thus did say 

He spat upon the ground, and made 
The spittle into clay; 

And with it He anointed thick 
The eyes that ne'er had seen, 

Then said unto the man : "Go wash 
In water pure and clean." 

Then went the man obediently, 
And washed his sightless eyes, 

And instantly he saw all round, 
With grateful, glad surprise. 

The neighbors said : "Is this the man 
Who begged, and could not see ?" 

Said others: "He is like to him." 
But he said : "I am he." 




FINDING OF THE LOST SHEEP. 

St. Matthew 18. 12—14 ; St. Luke 15. 3—7 



NEW TESTAMENT STORY IN VERSE. 



377 



They asked him how he gained his sight, 
And he, with thankful voice, 

Told all about the wondrous work 
That made his heart rejoice. 

And now unto the Pharisees 
The happy man they brought ; 

And it was on the Sabbath day 
This miracle was wrought. 

Questioned by doubting Pharisees, 

Me did to them relate 
The way by which he was relieved 

From his unhappy state. 

They said the man who gave him sight 

A sinner, sure must be 
Or He would not, on such a day, 

Make a blind man to see. 

Yet others said : "How can a man 

Who is a sinner do 
Such miracles ?" The healed man said : 

"He is a prophet true." 

The Jews would not believe the man 

Was ever blind at all ; 
And, to find out if it were so, 

They did his parents call, 

And asked them : "Is this man your son, 
Who without sight was born? 

How, then, doth he now see so well, 
Yet blind until this morn?" 

The parents said: "He is our son, 
And was born blind, we know ; 

But know not how he gained his sight ; 
Himself the truth must show." 

The Jews straightway recalled the man, 
And said : "Give God the praise, 

We know this man's a sinner, by 
His Sabbath-breaking ways." 



He answered them : "I know not if 

This man a sinner be ; 
One thing I know, that whereas I 

Was blind, yet now I see. 

"We know that God regardeth not 

A sinful man's appeal; 
But to obedient worshippers 

He will Himself reveal. 

"Since first the world began can ye 

Such wondrous power find 
As that a mortal man could heal 

The eyes of one born blind? 

"And if this man were not of God, 
Nor down from heaven came, 

He could do nothing in my case — 
All glory to His name !" 

And then they answered, wrathfully: 

"Thou, who believest thus, 
Wast altogether born in sin, 

And art thou teaching us?" 

They cast him out ; which Jesus heard, 
And found him, when alone : 

"Believ'st thou on the Son of God?" 
He asked in gentle tone. 

The man said : "Lord who is He, that 
My faith to Him might bow ?" 

Said Jesus: "Thou beholdest Him, 
He talketh with thee now." 

Then he said : "Lord, I do believe," 
With fervent voice, and loud, 

And bending forward to the earth, 
In reverent worship bowed. 

The Raising of Lazarus. 
r\ F MARTHA you've already heard, 
^-^ Who entertained the Lord 
When once He passed through Bethany, 
And Mary heard His word. 




L 



NEW TESTAMENT STORY IN VERSE. 



379 



They had a brother, Lazarus, 

And Jesus loved the three, 
And now the young man was brought 
low, 

And very ill was he. 

And his sisters sent a message 

Unto the Lord, in haste : 
"Behold, he whom Thou lovest well 

Is sick and failing fast." 

But Jesus said : "This sickness 

Comes not that he must die, 
But for God's glory, that His Son 

Be glorified thereby. 

"Our friend, Lazarus, sleepeth," 
Were the next words He spake : 

"And I go hence that I may him 
Out of his sleep awake." 

Then said they : "Lord, if Laz'rus sleep 

He surely shall do well" — 
Thinking that it was natural rest 

That o'er his eyelids fell. 

Then He said, plainly : "Lazarus 

Is cold and still in death. 
But well, for your sakes, 'tis that I 

Went not while he had breath. 

"For so your faith shall be made bright, 
That may be somewhat dim ; 

But now arise and leave this place, 
That we may go to him." 

Then Thomas said — called Didymus — 

To the disciples all, 
"Let's go, that we may die with Him, 

If death should Him befall." 

And now all hearts are sad and still, 

And many throb with fear, 
As Jesus and His followers 

To Bethany draw near. 



And those who meet Him tell the news 

Of sorrow and of gloom, 
That Lazarus has already lain 

Three days within his tomb. 

Now Bethany was very near 

Unto Jerusalem ; 
And many to the sisters came, 

To see, and comfort them. 

And as they sat in silence, 

Their hearts with grief bowed down, 
The word was brought that Jesus 

Was coming into town. 

Then Martha went to meet the Christ, 
And said unto Him : "Lord, 

If Thou hadst been here, my brother 
Had recovered by Thy word." 

"Thy brother," thus the answer came, 

"Shall rise again, I say." 
"Yea, in the resurrection morn," 

She said, "at the last day." 

"I am the resurrection, and 

The Life," the Lord replied. 
"He that upon my name believes 

Shall live, though he had died." 

"Oh, Lord," she answered fervently, 

"I truly do believe 
Thou art the Christ, the Son of God, 

Whom this world should receive." 

When Jesus saw the sisters' tears, 

And tears of those around, 
He groaned in spirit and was sad, 

With troubled thoughts profound. 

He said to them : "Where have ye laid 
Your friend and mine to sleep?" 

They say to Him : "Lord, come and see," 
Then all beheld Him weep. 



380 



NEW TESTAMENT STORY IN VERSE. 



And then they took away the stone 
From where the dead was laid, 

And Jesus lifted up His eyes, 
And solemnly He said: 

"Father I thank Thee that Thou hast 
Heard my heart's secret prayer, 

And I know that Thou dost always 
Bow down to me Thine ear." 

And when He thus had spoken, 

He cried in accents loud : 
"Lazarus, come forth," and the dead 

Came forth, bound in his shroud, 

And his face bound with a napkin ; 

His movements thus were slow ; 
But Jesus called out, with command : : 

"Loose him and let him go." 

Then O, what deep and solemn joy 
The sisters' hearts conceived ! 

While many of the Jews around 
On Jesus Christ believed. 

They Brought Little Children to Him. 
/~\ NE day the mothers, who believed, 
^^ Their little children brought, 
And from the Master's gentle hand 
A gracious blessing sought. 

But the disciples, in their zeal, 

Said: "Take these children home, 

They're in the way of older ones, 
Who for some good have come." 

But Jesus loved the little lambs, 
And much displeased was He, 

Saying: "Suffer little children, 
That they may come to me. 

"For 'tis such innocents as these 
That God's high kingdom win; 

And all must have as simple hearts 
Who gain a place therein." 



Then gently lifting in His arms, 

And folding to His breast, 
He put His hands upon their heads, 

And every infant blest. 

The Young Ruler. 
TVTOW, as He went, forth in the way, 
*- ^ A certain ruler came ; 
"What shall I do," he frankly asked, 
"That I may heaven claim?" 

"Why callest thou me good?" the Lord 

Enquired in gentle tone. 
"There is none good in earth or heaven 

But God, and God alone. 

"Thou knowest the Commandments ; 

Keep them in deed and truth, 
He answered and said : "Master, I've 

Observed them from my youth." 

Then Jesus looked at the young man, 
And loved him in His heart, 

And said : "One thing thou lackest yet, 
Thou with thy wealth must part. 

"Go sell, and give all to the poor, 
And stored in heaven 'twill be, 

Then come and cheerfully take up 
The cross and follow me." 

But the young man was sad at heart, 

Unwilling to obey ; 
His riches he would not give up, 

So, grieved, he went away. 

And then to His disciples 

The Lord said, grave but kind: 

"How hardly shall the rich their way 
Into God's kingdom find? 

"It is easier for a camel 

Through a needle's eye to go 

Than he who loves his worldly goods 
The bliss of heaven should know." 




CHRIST BLESSING LITTLE CHILDREN 

ST. MATTHEW 19: 13—15; ST. MARK 10: 13—16; ST. LUKE 18. 15, 16. 



382 



NEW TESTAMENT STORY IN VERSE. 



Peter Questions Him. 

A ND Peter then began to say : 
**■ "Lo ! we have given up all, 
And followed and believed on Thee ; 
What shall to us befall?" 

And Jesus answered, "Verily, 

I say, no man hath left 
Parents or brethren, wife or child, 

Of home or lands bereft, 

"To suffer for the Gospel's sake, 
Who shall not find much more, 

Both in this world and that to come, 
Laid up for him in store. 

"But they who will be first on earth 

Shall be the last in heaven ; 
And they who here take lowest seats 

Shall then have highest given." 

Parable of the Laborers. 

A ND Jesus taught them as they walked, 
'**' By pointed parable, 
That all shall have an equal right 
Who serve the Master well. 

He told them of a man who hired 

Some laborers to work, 
And promised each a penny, for 

The day, from morn to dark. 

Again at noon, and later still, 

He others idle found, 
And sent them into his vineyard 

To work upon the ground. 

And then again, and just before 

The closing of the day, 
He hired others who should get 

A penny for their pay. 

But when the eventide had come, 
And the day's work was done, 



The men were called, that each might get 
Whatever was his own. 

The last come were paid first, and each 

A pleased expression wore. 
But when the first were paid they thought 

That they should get still more. 

And when a penny each received, 

They murmured at the pay, 
Which was the same for one hour's work 

As for the long, warm day. 

The good man answered one of them: 
"Friend, I do thee no wrong; 

A penny I agreed to give — 
That doth to thee belong. 

"Take that thine is and go thy way, 

I will to this last one 
Give just the same as unto thee — 

Is it not all my own ? 

"So shall the last be as the first, 

And first as last to view ; 
For many be the called of God, 

And yet, the chosen, few." 

Foretells His Death. 

'"THEN Jesus took the twelve apart, 
* And gravely said to them : 
"Behold, we now are on our way 
Up to Jerusalem, 

"And all things that the prophets wrote 

About the Son of Man, 
Shall be accomplished in that place, 

True to the ancient plan. 

"And He shall be betrayed unto 
The chief priests and the scribes, 

Delivered up to the Gentiles, 
And mocked with taunts and jibes; 



NEW TESTAMENT STORY IN VERSE. 



383 



"And they shall scourge and spit upon, 

And crucify your Lord ; 
The third day He shall rise again, 

According to His Word." 

The apostles listened, yet these things 

They could not realize ; 
The meaning of the truths they heard 

Was hidden from their eyes. 

The Request of James and John. 

"PHEN came, as they were walking on, 
* The wife of Zebedee, 
Who said : "Lord, what I most desire 
Wilt Thou grant unto me ?" 

He said unto her: "What wilt thou?" 
She answered : "That my sons 

May at Thy right and left sit down, 
Thy kingdom's greatest ones." ■ 

Then Jesus to the young men said : 

"Ye know not what ye ask. 
To drink my cup, my baptism bear, 

Would be too hard a task." 

They answered : "We are strong enough.' 

Then He said : "Ye shall try 
To drink my cup, my baptism bear, 

While grace shall strength supply. 

"But to sit at my right and left 

I cannot give to you ; 
My Father doth reserve those seats 

For whom He deems them due. 

"Be not such lords as Gentiles are, 

And who would highest be 
Let him be servant to the rest, 

And take a low degree. 

"E'en as the Son of Man came not 

To take a lofty place, 
But to be minister, and give 

His life to save the race." 



A 



Blind Bartimeus. 

ND now the Lord His way must take 
Through ancient Jericho. 
The people crowd around Him there, 
And make His progress slow. 

And Bartimeus, blind and poor, 

Was sitting by the way ; 
Another beggar, sad and blind, 

Sat by his side that day. 

And when they heard the tramping 
crowd, 

And asked the reason why, 
They learned that Christ of Nazareth 

Was just then passing by. 

Then each man cried aloud at once, 

In tones of earnest plea : 
"Jesus, Thou Son of David, 

Have mercy upon me." 

And Jesus had compassion on 
Their dark and helpless plight, 

And gently touched their eyes and said : 
"Your faith doth give you sight." 

Immediately their eyes were healed, 

And both with joyful mind, 
Followed the Master, praising God, 

And all the people joined. 

Zaccheus. 

A ND now, as Jesus passed along, 
**• A rich man hasting came — 
A chief among the publicans, 
And Zaccheus by name. 

Jesus he sought to see, as did 

The people, one and all, 
But could not overlook the crowd, 

His stature was so small. 



384 



NEW TESTAMENT STORY IN VERSE. 



So he ran on before, and climbed 

Into a sycamore tree ; 
That, perched above the surging throng, 

He might the better see. 

And when the Lord came near, He raised 
His eyes, saw him, and said: 

"Zaccheus, in thy house, to-day, 
I will take rest and bread." 

And then in haste the man came down, 

And joyfully received 
Into his house, which stood near by, 

The Lord, whom He believed. 

And when the crowd saw what was done, 

To murmur they began, 
That Jesus was content to be 

Guest with a sinful man. 

Yet Zaccheus heeded not, but stood, 

And said unto the Lord : 
"Behold, Lord, half of all my goods 

I to the poor afford. 

"And if I aught have taken, 
Through falsehood to me told, 

More than is right from any man, 
I give it back fourfold." 

And Jesus said : "Salvation is 

To this house come to-day ; 
For this man is of Abraham's line, 

Though having gone astray. 

"For I, the Son of Man have come 

Into this world below, 
To seek the straying and the lost, 

And save from guilt and woe." 

Parable of the Pounds. 

A ND as the people all around 
*** Attentively did hear, 
Believing that God's kingdom would 
Without delay appear; 



He taught the listening company, 

By parable profound, 
How God expects His faithful ones 

To occupy His ground. 

And as He does commit to them 

Ten pounds, or five, or one, 
He will reward them, at the last, 

By what they each have done. 

And having finished His discourse, 

Wisely instructing them, 
He went before them, in the way, 

Up to Jerusalem. 

The Anointing at Bethany. 

O IX days before the Passover 
^ The Lord appeared again 
In Bethany, where Lazarus dwelt, 
And his good sisters twain. 

There, by a supper in the house, 
Their welcome was expressed, 

And Martha served, but Lazarus sat 
At table with the guest. 

Then Mary came and took her place 

Down at the Master's feet, 
And broke an alabaster box, 

Of odor very sweet. 

And tenderly she did anoint 

The feet of Jesus there; 
And wiped them with the flowing locks 

Of her luxuriant hair. 

Then Judas, called Iscariot, 

His sullen silence broke, 
And of the woman's costly gift 

Thus, with a sneer, he spoke : 

"For three hundred pence, in money, 
This ointment would have sold, 

And that would feed and clothe the poor, 
Who hungry are, and cold." 



NEW TESTAMENT STORY IN VERSE. 



385 



Tie said this, though he had no care 

Or pity for the poor; 
But was a thief, and had the bag, 

And coveted the store. 

Then Jesus said : "Let her alone ; 

Against my burial day 
She poured this ointment on my feet, 

I lcr last regards to pay. 

"The humble poor ye always have 
With you, to help their needs ; 

But me ye cannot always have 
To show me loving deeds." 

Xow many people of the Jews 
Soon knew that He was there, 

And crowded in, that they might see, 
And His discourse might hear. 

Yet not for Jesus' sake alone 

Had they the visit made, 
But to see Lazarus, whom He 

Had raised up from the dead. 

Entry into Jerusalem. 

'-p HE morning rose with peaceful skies, 
*■ The first clay of the week, 
And Jesus forthwith went His way, 
Jerusalem to seek. 

He knew what waited Him — the thought 

His lofty spirit thrilled — 
That all His Father's' work be done, 

And Scripture be fulfilled. 

Along the road towards Olive's mount — 
That oft-trod road — He went, 

Then two of His disciples 
Into Bethphage He sent; 

And said : "Into the village go, 
Where straightway ye shall see 

An ass tied, and a colt with her ; 
Loose them and bring to me. 
25-B.S. 



"If any may say aught to you, 

This shall be your reply : 
'The Lord hath need of them,' then he 

Will cheerfully comply." 

Then the disciples went their way, 
And found, as they were bidden, 

An ass tied, and a colt, whereon 
No man had ever ridden. 

And their owners, as they loosed them, 

Enquired : "Why do ye so ?" 
They said: "The Lord hath need of 
them." 

And then they let them go. 

And they brought them unto Jesus, 
And put on them their clothes ; 

And Jesus rode upon the colt, 
While loud Hosannahs rose. 

And multitudes of people spread 

Their garments in the way, 
While others strewed palm branches where 

The Master rode that day. 

And "Hosannah, Son of David!" 

They cried with one accord, 
"Blessed is He that cometh thus 

In the name of the Lord !" 

But the Pharisees said: "Master, 

Rebuke this noisy shout." 
Said Jesus: "Should they hold their 
peace, 

The stones would then cry out." 

Now they descend fair Olive's Mount, 

Jerusalem appears, 
And Jesus beholds the city, 

And over it sheds tears, 



386 



NEW TESTAMENT STORY IN VERSE. 



Saying: "Hadst thou but known the 
things 

Which belong to thy peace : 
But now from thine eyes they are hid ; 

Thy day of hope shall cease." 

The city's gate they enter now; 

Much moved, the people say: 
"Who is this ?" Some answer : "Jesus, 

Prophet of Galilee." 

Then to the temple went the Lord, 

To clear its spacious courts 
Of those who bought and sold within 

Its sanctified resorts. 

And when the chief priests and scribes 
saw 

His wondrous works and ways, 
And children in the temple courts 

Shouting these words of praise: 

"Hosannah to great David's Son !" 

They very angry were, 
And said to Him : "These babbling cries 

Around, dost thou not hear?" 

And Jesus saith unto them : "Yea, 

Have ye not read the Word : 
'The mouths of babes and sucklings doth 

Thy perfect praise accord ?' " 

The Pharisees, among themselves, 

Said : "Do ye not perceive 
That ye prevail naught while the world 

Doth on this man believe ?" 

The Barren Fig-Tree. 

OUT now the eventide was come, 
*-* And Jesus turned away, 
And with His twelve disciples went 
And lodged in Bethany. 



Next morning, as the Lord returned, 

Quite early in the day, 
He wanted bread, and looking, saw 

A fig-tree in the way. 

Without delay He went to it, 

To get some figs to eat; 
But He found only leaves thereon, 

Which are not good for meat. 

And then the Master spoke to it — 

Spoke to the useless tree — 
And said: "Henceforth, forevermore 

Let no fruit grow on thee." 

Into the city then He went, 

And in the temple taught, 
And preached to all who thronged around 

And His instructions sought. 

But the chief priests and elders came, 
And asked Him : "Who gave thee 

Authority to do these things 
That we both hear and see?" 

And Jesus answered : "I, also, 

Will ask one thing of you, 
Which, if you tell me, I will tell 

Who prompts the things I do. 

"The baptism of John, whence was it, 

From heaven, or of men?" 
This question, which He asked of them, 

They could not answer then. 

For thus they reasoned with themselves : 
"If we shall say from heaven, 

He will say : 'Why not, then, to him 
Was your attention given?' 

"But yet, if we shall say of men, 
The people's wrath we fear; 

For all hold John a prophet true, 
And his name they revere." 



NEW TESTAMENT STORY IN VERSE. 



387 



And so they said : "We cannot tell." 

He answered: "Nor to thee 
Tell I by what authority 

I do the things you see." 

And then, as evening fell, the Lord 

With His disciples went 
Unto the mount of Olives, where 

The night they often spent. 

And in the morning they returned, 

And lo ! as they passed by, 
They saw the fig-tree in the way, 

All withered up and dry. 

And Peter then remembered well : 

"Master, behold," he said, 
"The fruitless tree which Thou didst 
curse 

Is withered all and dead." 

And Jesus, answering, said to them : 

"Verily, I say to you, 
Have faith in God and doubt Him not, 

And ye shall such things do. 

"And who shall to this mountain say, 

In firm, believing faith, 
'Be thou cast forth into the sea,' 

It shall be as he saith. 

"And whatsoever ye desire 

And ask for when ye pray, 
Believe that ye receive the gift; 

It shall be yours straightway. 

"And when you pray forgive all those 

Who have offended you, 
That so your Heavenly Father may 

Forgive the wrongs you do." 

The Law of Love. 

|\TOW, "Master," said a Pharisee, 
* ^ Thus tempting Him again : 
"Which commandment is the greatest 
That the law doth contain ?" 



Jesus said : "Thou shalt love the Lord 

Thy God with all thy heart, 
And all thy soul and all thy mind — 

This is the first great part. 

"And the second is like to it : 
Thou shalt thy neighbor love 

In the same way thou lov'st thyself ; 
By deeds this new law prove. 

"Upon these two commandments — 
Within the spirit wrought — 

Hang all the law that Moses wrote, 
And all the prophets taught." 

The Widow's Mites. 

A ND now the Lord was sitting where 
** He could the people see 
As they cast their gifts of money 
Into the treasury. 

And many rich cast in large sums ; 

Then came a widow, poor, 
And she threw in two mites, which make 

One farthing, and no more. 

Then the Lord called His disciples 

And said to them : "Verily, 
This poor widow has cast the most 

Into the treasury. 

"For all they, of their abundance, 
Offered, some less, some more, 

But she, of want and penury, 
Did cast in all her store." 

The Hypocrites. 

T ESUS spoke to the multitude, 
^ That gathered at His feet : 
"The scribes and Pharisees do sit 
In Moses' sacred seat. 




THE WISE AND FOOLISH VIRGINS. 

St. Matthew 25: 1-Le 



NEW TESTAMENT STORY IN VERSE. 



389 






"Do, therefore, what they bid you do, 

But follow not their way; 
For they, themselves, keep not the law, 

Nor do they what they say. 

"For they bind heavy burdens 

For other men to bear ; 
But will not give a helping hand 

To ease another's care. 

"And all they do is to be seen 

Of men they daily meet; 
Their outward garments they adorn, 

Down to their very feet ; 

"And love the upper rooms at feasts, 
And greetings in the crowd ; 

And the chief seats in synagogues 
And titles make them proud. 

"But be not ye called 'Rabbi,' for 
To Christ that name is given ; 

And call no man father on earth ; 
Your Father is in heaven. 

"Nor be ye masters called, for One, 
Even Christ, your Master is, 

And he that would be greatest, let 
The servant's place be his. 

"And whoso shall exalt himself 

Shall be low and abased, 
And he that humbles himself shall 

To lofty seat be raised." 

He Weeps Over Jerusalem. 

AND then, His gentle spirit grieved 
For Israel's sin and pride, 
With tender pity in His voice, 
He sorrowfully cried: 

"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem ! 

Which doth the prophets kill, 
And stonest them sent unto thee, 

The promise to fulfil; 



"How oft would I have gathered 

Thy children to my breast, 
As a hen her brood doth gather 

Beneath her wings to rest. 

"And ye would not. And now, alas ! 

Behold your sad estate, 
Your doom is nigh, your house is left 

Unto you desolate. 

"Moreover, ye shall not see me 

Until ye say the word : 
'Blessed is He that cometh in 

The name of Israel's Lord.' " 

And His disciples then He warned 

To watch, and faithful be, 
Not knowing at what hour they 

The Son of Man should see. 

Parables of the Virgins and Talents. 

A ND then He pictured to their minds, 
** In parables most clear, 
What should take place before the throne 
When the Lord should appear. 

The fate of the ten virgins, 
Of whom but five were wise, 

And five were foolish, without grace, 
He placed before their eyes. 

And of the nobleman who went 

To travel far away, 
And to his servants talents gave, 

Their wisdom to display. 

And two their talents used in trade, 
And brought their master gain, 

Which pleased him so he raised them up 
O'er cities fair to reign ; 

While one was slothful, loving ease, 

His talent hid away, 
And brought with it a vain excuse 

Upon the reck'ning day. 



390 



NEW TESTAMENT STORY IN VERSE. 



But his lord answered wrath fully, 

He no excuse would take, 
But told him what he should have done, 

A lawful gain to make. 

Then ordered that they take and cast 

Nor pity him, nor spare — 
The unprofitable servant 

Out into dark despair. 

The Corn of Wheat. 

A ND while He taught the people all, 
-** From highest to the least, 
Some Greeks appeared, who had come up 
To worship at the feast. 

The same approached to Philip, who 

Was of Bethsaida, 
Saying : "Sir, we would the Master see, 

And from Him knowledge draw." 

Philip and Andrew went apart, 
And they informed the Lord 

That polished strangers, standing near, 
Desired to hear His word. 

"The hour — the long-approaching hour — 

Is come," the Lord replied, 
"When I should close my earthly work, 

And should be glorified. 

"Verily, I say unto you, 

Except a corn of wheat 
Sink in the ground and die, it will 

Alone produce no meat. 

"But if it die, it brings forth fruit; 

And he that life doth love 
Shall lose it : he that hates it gains 

Eternal life above. 

"If any man will serve me, then 

Let him come after me ; 
And where I am, there, also, shall 

My faithful servant be. 



"Now is my soul in agony, 
And what more shall I say? 

Father, save me from this sad hour, 
My human heart would pray, 

"But for this cause — that I might die — 

Unto this hour I came, 
So in my heart I cry : "Father, 

Glorify thine. own name!" 

Then came there a voice from heaven, 

Saying, in clearest strain : 
"I have glorified it, and I 

Will glorify it again." 

The people standing by were sure 

That thunder shook the air ; 
But others said : "Not so, it is 

An angel's voice we hear." 

Jesus answered, and said : "This voice 

Came not because of me, 
But that ye all might understand 

The power of Deity. 

"Now is the judgment of this world; 

Its prince cast out shall be ; 
And I, if I be lifted up, 

Will draw all men to me." 

The Traitor Judas. 

1VIOW Satan to the carnal heart 
* Of Judas entered in — 
He that was called Iscariot, 
Who money loved to win. 

And he went unto the chief priests, 

And bargained to betray 
His Master to their evil power 

If they would give him pay. 

And his base scheme these men were glad 

To hear and understand, 
And thirty shining silver coins 

They weighed into his hand. 



NEW TESTAMENT STORY IN VERSE. 



391 



And from that time he sought a way 

He could, by sign or word, 
In absence of the multitude, 

Deliver up his Lord. 

The Upper Room. 

j\ T OW came the first day of the feast — 
* ^ Day of unleavened bread — 
When the Passover must be killed ; 
And the disciples said: 

"Where wilt Thou, Lord, that we shall go 

And preparation make 
For Thee to eat the Passover, 

And we, with Thee, partake ?" 

Peter and John He then sent forth, 
Saying: "As ye walk the street, 

A man, bearing a pitcher 
Of water, ye shall meet. 

"Then follow him into the house, 

And to the good man say : 
The Master needs the guest-chamber 

To keep the feast to-day. 

"And a large, furnished, upper room 

He unto you will show." 
Then the disciples went and found, 

As the Lord said, 'twas so. 

Now, at the evening hour, the Lord 

With His disciples came, 
And sat down round the table where 

Was served the paschal lamb. 

And He said unto them : "I have 

Desired with every breath 
To eat this Passover with you, 

Before I suffer death." 



Washing the Disciples' Feet. 

'"T HIS being over, Jesus rose, 
* And laid His robe aside, 
And a towel girded round Him, 
So free was He from pride ; 

And with water in a basin 

Washed the disciples' feet. 
O, lowly Master ! loving Lord ! 

Thy meekness is complete ! 

But Simon Peter would refuse, 

With love and high esteem, 
This humble office should be done 

By Jesus unto him; 

Till Jesus, checking his proud will, 

Answered decidedly, 
By saying: "If I wash thee not, 

Thou hast no part with me." 

Then Peter cried : "Lord, not my feet 

Only from stain be free ; 
But also let my hands and head 

Be purified by Thee." 

Jesus said : "He whose feet are washed 

Is every whit made clean ; 
And ye are clean, but not you all — 

He Judas, false, did mean. 

So, when the Lord had watched their 
feet, 

And had His robe put on, 
And took His seat, He said : "Know ye 

What I to you have done ?" 

Then taught them that if He, their Lord, 
Had washed their feet, then so 

Should they to one another 
Such act of grace bestow ; 



392 



NEW TESTAMENT STORY IN VERSE. 



That they to His example 

Should prompt respect accord, 

Well knowing that the servant is 
Not greater than his Lord. 

Jesus is Betrayed. 

MOW, after this, was Jesus sad, 
^ ^ And trouble did display ; 
For one of them who sat with Him 
He said should Him betray. 

And then, all being sorrowful, 

Said : "Is it I ?" in turn. 
But He said : " 'Twere good for that man 

If he had ne'er been born." 

Now the disciple Jesus loved, 

Who next His bosom lay, 
At sign from Peter asked : "Who, Lord, 

Would vilely Thee betray ?" 

Jesus said : "When I did the sop 

It shall be that man's lot." 
And when He dipped He gave it to 

Judas Iscariot. 

Yet upon Judas' callous heart 

No softening touch it gave : 
But Satan entered into him, 

To harden and enslave. 

Jesus said : "What thou do'st, do now." 
None knew what this did mean ; 

But Judas rose and left the room, 
And sought a different scene. 

The Last Supper. 

A ND now the evening shades had 
-**• closed, 

And night was o'er the sky ; 
Supper was ended and lamps lit 

Within that chamber high. 



The Lord took bread, and, blessing it, 

He brake in pieces small; 
Saying: "Take, eat, this is my body, 

Once broken for you all." 

Then took the cup, and, giving thanks, 

He gave it to them, too ; 
Saying : "Drink ye, for this is my blood, 

Which is poured out for you. 

"And eat this bread, and drink this cup, 

For memory of me. 
But I'll not taste the wine till I 

My Father's kingdom see." 

Peter's Warning. 

T^ HEN Peter cried out in alarm: 
"Lord, whither goest Thou? 
I will go with Thee unto death, 
Or unto prison now." 

Jesus said to him: "Verily, 
Before the cock shall crow, 

This day thou wilt deny full thrice 
That thou the Lord dost know." 

Promise of the Comforter. 

A GAIN the Master's voice arose 
**■ In precious converse sweet, 
The last and richest lessons, 
With wisdom most replete : 

"Let not your heart be troubled, 

Believe in me, most true, 
For in my Father's house I shall 

Prepare a place for you." 

And on, in soothing accents, flowed 

Upon their listening ears 
Words which, while they increased their 
love, 

Excited still their fears. 



NEW TESTAMENT STORY IN VERSE. 



393 



For He talked of going from them, 

Yet being with them still, 
And giving them what they should ask, 

If they would do His will; 

And said He would pray the Father 

The Comforter to send — 
The Holy Ghost — who, teaching them, 

Would lead them to the end. 

And again He said unto them, 

As He, at first, had said : 
"Let not your heart be troubled, 

Nor let it be afraid." 

The Parable of the Vine. 

\ I J HEN it was time to go, He said: 

"Arise, let us go hence," 
And they all stood and sung a hymn 
Ere they departed thence. 

Then out into the shadowed street, 

After the close of day, 
The Lord and His eleven friends 

Walked slowly on their way ; 

On towards the mount of Olives, where 

His custom was to go, 
Along the well-known path which crossed 

Where Kedron's waters flow. 

And still the Master, as His wont 
When walking with His friends, 

Continued teaching golden truth 
The which to glory tends. 

He likened Himself to a vine, 
While they the branches were ; 

His Father was the husbandman, 
Who of the plant had care ; 

And charged them that they must bear 
fruit, 
And never barren prove; 



His Father should be glorified 

Through faith that works by love. 

And charged them to abide in Him, 
And thus much fruit return ; 

And warned them 'gainst the dreadful 
fire, 
Where barren branches burn. 



He then unfolded to their view 
The things that should be done, 

When He, their Head, should go away, 
And they be left alone ; 

And told them if they asked of God, 

In His name, any thing, 
Such prayer would quickly rise to heaven, 

And joyful answer bring. 

Again He spoke to them of love, 

And of His blessed peace, 
And said, as He had overcome, 

So should their warfare cease. 

His Prayer for His Disciples. 

A ND then He stood and raised His 
**■ eyes 

To heaven's transparent dome ; 
And in the same clear voice He said: 

"Father, the hour is come." 

Then followed such a solemn prayer, 

With holy nearness filled, 
As human lips ne'er breathed before, 

By faith however thrilled. 

The prayer ended, then Jesus crossed 

Over the Kedron brook, 
And the last walk, in silence calm, 

With His disciples took. 



394 



NEW TESTAMENT STORY IN VERSE. 



Christ in Gethsemane. 

/~\ N Olivet a garden grew — 
^-^ Gethsemane its name — 
And here, in that portentous hour, 
The "Man of Sorrows" came. 



The shadows of the midnight fell, 
And silence reigned around, 

As He and His eleven friends 
Trod the familiar ground. 

Then, Oh! such heavy agony 

Descended on His soul, 
That even His strong spirit was 

Unable to control. 

He said to them : "Exceeding woe, 

Beyond all mortal grief, 
O'erwhelms my soul ; watch here while I 

In prayer shall seek relief." 

Then went a little farther off, 

And on His face He fell, 
And offered up this earnest prayer: 

"If it be possible, 

"My Father— Oh! My Father!— 

Let this cup pass from me. 
Nevertheless, Thy holy will, 

And not my will shall be." 

Then, coming back to those He left, 

A mournful watch to keep, 
He found them prone upon the ground, 

And wrapped in heavy sleep. 

But Jesus said: "Sleep now and rest, 

The hour is close at hand. 
Behold the Son of Man betrayed 

To an ungodly band." 



At the Palace of the High Priest. 

A ND as He spake, behold a crowd 
f*- With lanterns and with swords ; 
And Judas, traitor, came before, 
With kiss and guileful words. 



But He who reads all hearts, and points 

To what He finds amiss, 
Said: "Judas, dost thou thus betray 

Thy Master with a kiss?" 

Then gently turning to the crowd, 
He asked them : "Whom seek ye !" 

They said: "Jesus of Nazareth." 
He answered : "I am he." 

And the armed band led Jesus 

Along the city road, 
Up to the high priest's palace — 

Caiaphas' abode. 

Meanwhile sat Peter by the fire, 
Wondering how this would end, 

And feeling wholly powerless 
His Master to defend. 

A servant, passing, said to him : 
"Thou with this man hast been." 

But Peter in great fear replied : 
"I know not what you mean." 

And soon another said he had 

Of Jesus' friends been one, 
But Peter cursed and swore that he 

Had never Jesus known. 

Just then the cock crew, shrill and clear, 

And Jesus turned His face, 
And full on Peter cast a look 

Of love, reproach and grace.. 



NEW TESTAMENT STORY IN VERSE. 



395 



Then over Peter's aching heart 

Repentant anguish swept, 
And he rushed out into the dawn. 

And bitterly he wept. 

Christ before Pilate. 

AND now the morning beams appeared 
The council of the Jews 
Led Jesus to the judgment hall, 
That they might Him accuse. 

And Pilate gathered to his aid 

Chief priests and rulers all, 
And Jesus stood before him in 

The royal judgment hall. 

And Pilate said unto them : "Ye 
Have brought this man to me, 

Saying, 'He perverts the people/ 
But no fault in Him I see. 

"Nor yet Herod ; for I sent you 
With your prisoner to the king ; 

But no offence to Roman law 
Could you against Him bring. 

"I, therefore, will chastise Him 

And order Him released ;" 
For 'twas custom he should free to them 

A prisoner at the feast. 

But they exclaimed : "Away with Him," 

And cried, with one accord, 
That he release Barabbas, 

And crucify the Lord. 

Now Barabbas was a robber, 
And they knew his record well ; 

He for murder and sedition 
Lay in a prison cell. 



"Why, what great evil hath He aone?" 
Pilate, the third time saith ; 

For he knew it was for envy 
That they desired His death. 

Pilate's Wife's Dream. 

A GAIN upon the judgment seat, 
*^ To end this cruel strife, 
Sat Pilate, when a servant came 
With message from his wife. 

"Beware" — the word the lady sent — 

"That thou no evil do 
To Him who stands before thee now— 

That man so just and true. 

"For I while sleeping on my bed, 
Have suffered, in a dream, 

Much anguish and distress of mind, 
This day, because of Him." 

Then Pilate saith to Jesus: 

"Art thou the very king 
The Jews expected should appear, 

And their salvation bring?" 

"My kingdom," Jesus answered, 

"Is not beneath the skies, 
Else to protect me from the Jews 

My servants would arise." 

"Art thou a king, then?" Pilate asked. 

"Thou sayest it," the reply ; 
"For I was born, and hither came, 

The truth to testify." 

Pilate said to Him : "What is truth ?" 
Then left the judgment hall, 

And said unto the Jews : "I find 
In Him no fault at all." 




THE CRUCIFIXION 

St. Matthew 27: S5-38; St. Mark 15: 24-28; St. I^uke 23: 33, 34; St. John 19: 18-24 



NEW TESTAMENT STORY IN VERSE. 



397 



Then Pilate, taking water, washed 

His hands before them all; 
And said: "This just man's blood on me 

Shall not in judgment fall." 

Then answered all the people : 
"Let this man's blood be shed ; 

And let it fall on each of us, 
And on our children's head." 

The Crucifixion. 

TT was outside the city wall 
* Of proud Jerusalem, 
That Roman soldiers crucified 
Whom Pilate dared condemn. 

But from the suffering Nazarene 

No word of murmur came ; 
Patience appeared through keenest wrong, 

And dignity through shame. 

Only this kind and earnest plea 
Their malice from Him drew : 

"Father, I pray, forgive them now, 
They know not what they do." 

The Mother of Jesus. 

"MOW there stood by that dreadful cross 
*■ ^ The mother of the Lord, 
Whose soul with sharpest agony 
Was pierced, as with a sword. 

When Jesus therefore saw her near, 

And His disciple, John, 
The man whom He loved best, He said : 

"Woman, behold thy son." 

Then said to the disciple : 

"Thy mother here behold !" 
And John thenceforth his loving care 

Around her did enfold. 



The Darkened Sun. 

1VTOW 'tis high noon and, solemn sight, 
1 ^ The sun withdraws his face, 
And shadows, over all the land, 
The beams of day replace. 

All nature, wrapped in solemn awe, 

Stood shuddering in dismay, 
xAs hours of stern, Almighty wrath, 

Passed tediously away. 

Once, from the cross, an anguished voice 
Came languidly: "I thirst," 

And then a cry, as though the heart, 
So full of love, had burst. 

"Eli, Eli," these were the words, 

"Lama Sabachthani ?" 
Oh ! what acutest agony 

Wrung forth that mournful cry ! 

Meanwhile a sponge, in vinegar, 
One standing near Him dips ; 

And, putting it upon a reed, 
He lifts it to His lips. 

He then, with exclamation loud, 

His voice aloft doth send, 
Saying : "Father, now into Thy hands 

"My spirit I commend!" 

And, then, behold! the temple vail 

From top to bottom rent ; 
An earthquake shook the city's walls, 

The rocks to pieces went. 

And the centurian, with his guard, 

Seeing these signs abroad, 
Exclaimed in fear: "Now, of a truth, 

"This was the Son of God." 



898 



NEW TESTAMENT STORY IN VERSE. 



The Burial. 

|\|OW a good man, Joseph by name, 
1 ^ Of wealth and high renown, 
In secret a disciple true, 
Of Rama's ancient town, 

Besought that Pilate grant to him 

Permission to remove 
The body of the Crucified, 

Whom he had learned to love. 

And then came Nicodemus, 
With aloes and with myrrh — 

Another who had been of Christ 
A secret worshipper. 

And these two men, who ne'er had made 

Profession, great or small, 
Prepared the sacred body for 

An honored burial. 

They wrapped it, with the spices, 
In clean, white linen clothes ; 

According to the way in which 
The Jews their dead dispose. 

Then reverently laid it down 
In Joseph's tomb — quite new, 

Which he had hewn from out the rock, 
His own last sleep in view. 

The Resurrection. 
*"P HE Sabbath passed in sullen calm 
*■ The Lord of all things slept, 
And some exulted in their crime, 
While others mourned and wept. 

It passed, it ended, and, behold ! 

While darkness veiled the sky, 
Midst shock of earthquake, there came 
down 

An angel from on high. 



He sought the silent sepulchre, 
And rolled away the stone — 

The heavy stone that filled the door — 
And took his seat thereon. 

His features shone with lightning glow, 
His robes were snowy white ; 

With solemn awe the keepers shook, 
And fell, as dead, with fright. 

Women at the Tomb. 

AJ[ EAN WHILE the day began to 
*" * dawn — 

The first day of the week — 
And sorrowing women early came, 

The sacred tomb to seek ; 

With spices and with ointments sweet, 
To preserve the precious clay ; 

And saying : "Who shall roll for us 
That heavy stone away?" 

But when they reached the sepulchre, 
They saw the stone removed, 

And, entering in, they also missed 
The form of Him they loved. 

Instead, they saw a strange young man, 

Sitting up on the right, 
Clothed in a long, white flowing robe, 

And they were filled with fright. 

And he said unto them : "Fear not, 

Ye seek Him who was slain. 
He is not here. He's risen indeed, 

Come, see where He has lain." 

The Ascension. 

f~\ N sacred Olivet, once more, 
^-^ The apostles met their Lord, 
And looked with rapture on His face, 
And heard with joy His word. 



MAR 13 teis 



400 



NEW TESTAMENT STORY IN VERSE. 



He spake with old-time gentleness, 

And dignity, and love, 
Commanding that they should not from 

Jerusalem remove. 

"But wait there till the promise of 

My Father come," He said, 
"Of which you heard me plainly speak 

The night I was betrayed. 

"For John baptised with water, 

But ye shall feel the glow 
Of baptism with the Holy Ghost, 

Not many days from now." 

And as He talked He led them on 

As far as Bethany, 
When they, together, forward came 

And asked Him earnestly, 

Saying : "Lord, wilt thou at this time 

To Israel restore 
The kingdom in such splendor 

As it enjoyed of yore?" 

But Jesus said unto them all : 

" 'Tis not for you to know 
That which the Father doth intend 

Respecting things below. 

"But ye shall be endued with power, 
And strength, and majesty, 



After the Holy Ghost has come 
Upon you from on high. 

"And ye shall witness unto Me 

Both in Jerusalem, 
Judea and Samaria, 

And lands ye now condemn." 

And then He lifted up His hands, 
And blessed them as they stood, 

While He ascended from their sight, 
Their Master, great and good. 

And they beheld Him rise aloft 

Into the ether bright, 
Until a cloud enveloped Him, 

And bore Him from their sight. 

And while they looked up after Him 
Toward heaven, amazed and sad, 

Behold two angels stood by them, 
In white apparel clad ; 

Which said: "Ye men of Galilee, 
Why stand ye, gazing up, 

As though the Lord had gone away, 
And left you without hope? 

"As ye have seen Him rise to heaven 

In majesty sublime, 
So, in like manner, shall He come, 

In the allotted time." 




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